Paintings Conservation Intern

Helen, Paintings Conservation Intern

I applied for the internship with an undergraduate MA in Art History and French, and shortly before completing my postgraduate MA in the Conservation of Easel Paintings. I had already done a short internship in a private conservation studio.

My Royal Collection Trust internship has mainly been dedicated to practical work, and a typical day would be spent at my easel in the conservation studio. A major project I worked on was the full treatment of Philip II, King of Spain, c.1635, by the Studio of Sir Peter Paul Rubens, from the King's Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

I have really enjoyed travelling to the royal residences around the UK to carry out condition checks of paintings and in-situ treatments. The best things about this internship were the amazing quality of the pictures I worked on and the wealth of practical experience that my colleagues have shared with me. Through their introductions, I have also had the chance to establish some very useful contacts within the industry.

As a result of my studies, I had a fairly good grounding in most of the practical skills needed for conservation before I started the internship. These include visual sensitivity, manual dexterity and adopting a methodical approach to the work. However, the challenging projects I undertook during the internship have definitely developed my confidence in carrying out complex conservation treatments.

I was fortunate enough to be asked to stay on for a further six months once my internship ended, and this will be a real boost for my CV. To anyone who is thinking of applying for an internship, I would advise them not to be put off because they think it will be competitive. Provided you have the relevant qualifications and a passion for conservation work, you should give it a go.

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