International Scientific Committee
for the conservation of stained glass
History
The International Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Stained Glass is concerned with the various questions of preservation, conservation and restoration of historical stained glass.
Created in the framework of the Corpus Vitrearum, the committee has been associated with the International Stained Glass Committee of the ICOMOS since 1982, in order to access a wider base of protection of cultural heritage.
In 2009, it became a so-called hybrid committee Corpus Vitrearum-Icomos and was provided with new statutes, following the Eger-Xi'An principles which are governing the international scientific committees of ICOMOS. It gathers art historians, scientists, conservators, curators and architects, as expert or associated members, nominated by the national committees of the Corpus Vitrearum and of ICOMOS.
The committee drew up the Guidelines for the Conservation and Restoration of Stained Glass (first edition Vienna, 1989 ; second edition Nuremberg 2004), according to the decades of experience of relevant specialists.
It organizes regularly, in principle every two years, international Fora on conservation topics gathering a large attendance of professionals and producing conference proceedings.
The statutes
The initiative in creating an International Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Stained Glass is taken jointly by the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and by the Corpus Vitrearum.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites is an association of professionals throughout the world that currently brings together over 7500 members. ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organization of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).
The Corpus Vitrearum was established in 1952 and operates under the aegis of the Comité International de l'Histoire de l'Art (CIHA) and the Union Académique Internationale (UAI). The aim of the Corpus Vitrearum is the thorough scholarly investigation and documentation of all medieval European stained glass windows. The scope may be extended to a pre-Gothic Revival date for those countries in which important post-medieval stained glass windows are found. The work of the Corpus Vitrearum involves the application of rigorous critical methods to establish authenticity and to study the techniques used in the production of stained glass. Its organization includes an International Committee presided over by an elected Board, an International Committee for the Conservation of Stained Glass, and National Committees of countries in Europe and North America which possess medieval stained glass windows either in monuments or in collections
Statutes can be downloaded here (Fr)
Regulating bodies
The Corpus Vitrearum was established in 1952 and operates under the aegis of the Comité International de l'Histoire de l'Art (CIHA) and the Union Académique Internationale (UAI). The aim of the Corpus Vitrearum is the thorough scholarly investigation and documentation of all medieval European stained glass windows. The scope may be extended to a pre-Gothic Revival date for those countries in which important post-medieval stained glass windows are found. The work of the Corpus Vitrearum involves the application of rigorous critical methods to establish authenticity and to study the techniques used in the production of stained glass. Its organization includes an International Committee presided over by an elected Board, an International Committee for the Conservation of Stained Glass, and National Committees of countries in Europe and North America which possess medieval stained glass windows either in monuments or in collections
The International Council on Monuments and Sites is an association of professionals throughout the world that currently brings together over 7500 members. ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organization of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).
The Committee has adopted By-Laws defining its internal regulations.