But rather than representing a frozen piece of time, all paintings are in flux. From the moment it's created, a painting begins to deteriorate; dirt accumulates on its surface, its colors lose their luster and its paint cracks and flakes. Conserving precious artworks is the job of the restorers at London's Courtauld Institute of Art. Their work is a combination of science and, appropriately, art, as they combine cutting-edge technology and painstaking manual techniques. That's why conservation is important."

Source: CNN March 27, 2017 10:52 UTC