A conservator work of arts as a freelancer – a contemporary Lancelot ?

A conservator work of arts as a freelancer – a contemporary Lancelot ? Dorota KOWALIK-KOCISZEWSKA A qualified Conservator at University of Nicolas Copernicus in Toruń (MA); Phd at the Institute of Geological Studies at the University of Wrocław DKKonserwacja www.dkkonserwacja.pl The article focuses on an ethical-aesthetic aspect of conservatory work conducted on few chosen historical buildings. Having worked as a freelancer in the years 2001-2015, the author of the article had a chance to take part in all forms of the cooperation that is set in the job of a conservator e.g. as a general contractor, a subcontractor, a co-worker, a manager of conservatory work, a conservatory work supervisor, a conservation educator, an author of conservation research, projects and expert report and scientist. All the professions required interdisciplinary specialized knowledge, educational background, diligence, conscientiousness and reliability, high esthetic and perceptual abilities as well as an individual approach using the most traditional methods, materials and historical sources, and also modern tolls. However, two of the professions mentioned above required additional abilities that can be compared with cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance), simultanously with clearly hired employment. This work concerned mainly big and complex restoration projects run by construction companies that aspired to expand their operations to historical buildings. Having analysed the great amount of the conservatory work conducted in 14 years as a freelancer, the author like many other former and current conservators, seeks universal truth about their profession, the definition of ethics and esthetics. Moreover, in an era of global crisis there are more and more new threats that we have to face and universal whereas simple truths always work. According to the author, Conservation Code of Ethics resembles the Knights Code of Chivalry which contained ethical, moral and conduct rules. The similarity of the terms used suggests some analogies. Since there are numerous definitions of the term “conservator” e.g. renovator, restaurator etc.1, the author has decided to choose the one which is near and dear to her. In ORKDS’ Conservation Code of Ethics “a conservator” is a specialist whose interdisciplinary educational background, skills, the knowledge of materials and laws contribute to preserve the beauty of the artifacts. Moreover, it is the one who keeps being extremely objective to the values and meaning of the artefacts and shows respect. Moreover, a conservator is a person who takes responsibility for the authenticity of the artifacts; works diligently devoting all his/her knowledge 1

B.J.Rouba (1998) A proposal to organize the definition in Biuletyn Informacyjnym Konserwatorów Dzieł Sztuki Vol.9 No 4 (35) pg . 4-51

and engagement. The conservators are obliged to expand their knowledge and qualifications and to react to the situations in which the artefacts can be endangered. In case of necessity they take steps to rescue the artefacts no matter what position they hold. Moreover, they collaborate or work in conjunction with other conservators or specialists2. A Freelancer is a person who is self- employed and is not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Fields, professions and industries where freelancing is predominant include: music, writing, acting, paintong, web design, translating and illustrating, etc. (a definition from Wikipedia) Moreover, the term “freelancer “ is not usually used in terms of a manual worker. It refers to a person who works for one hour, a day or does a seasonal job 3. Furthermore, in some resources it is defined as a person who contends in a cause or in a succession of various causes, as he or she chooses, without any personal attachment to it or allegiance4. Lancelot is a character in the Arthurian legend, an Irish commander, the greatest and the first knight of the Knights of the Round Table5. He was considered as a paragon of Medieval knight’s virtue. In the stories and legends Lancelot was always presented as a man of good manners, full of kindness, courtesy and courage. He obeyed the Knights Code of Chivalry. Lancelot was always willing to help others. For many years he served the King. However, when his adulterous relationship with the Queen Guinevere, King Arthur’s wife, came to light, he was hounded out of the kingdom. This event made him unworthy of the Holy Grail. He took part, however, in the Grail Quest and was defeated only by his son Galahad who ultimately achieved the Grail. Moreover, after the affair he withdrew from the public life and died as a hermit. Nevertheless, he kept his virtues and saved life of other knights and the Queen Guinevere6. In Medieval times there were various Codes of Conduct and the Knights Code of Chivalry that was used by the knights depended on the historical period, geographical situation, social and political system, religious traditions. In times of crusades and late Middle Ages there were some attempts to codify them, however they were never made uniform. As a result, the rules concerning knights remained an unwritten code of honour. All the definitions presented above are especially significant in terms of the existing law that concerns conservative work awarded by tender with the lowest price offer. Moreover, they are important in reference to new regulations that we object to 7. They can be an example in which a so called human factor( ethics or its lack) fails and at the same time solves the most difficult 2 3 4 5 6 7

Conservation Code of Ethics ORKDS, http://orkds zpap.home.pl/autoinstalator/wordpress/kodeksetykikonserwatora-dziel-sztuki/ 3 Http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelancer Http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freelance http://www.kingarthursknights.com/knights/launcelot.asp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot Postulaty ORKDS z 07.X. 2015r. II Kongres Konserwatorów Polskich, Warszawa 06-10.X.2015; http://orkdszpap.home.pl/autoinstalator/wordpress/postulaty-orkds-zpap/

occupational and ethical problems without any support of the existing law. Furthermore, the necessity to recreate the history and the ornaments truthfully and an individual creation and esthetics, on the other hand, make us realize how, having in mind the rules mentioned above, a conservator must have flexible personal attitude towards the profession and the building itself with reference to additional requirements or limitations imposed by an investor and citizens that concern other buildings in its surroundings. All that happens under very strict deadline, financial and legal discipline with seasonal salary and changeable weather in four seasons. The aim of conservatory works is to preserve historic materials of fabrication as a source of knowledge of the past. However, the architectural monuments often require to take actions that can be described as an artistic creation. In the first instance, the monument requires from us to give up thinking of ourselves and to concentrate on what is much more valuable (as it is of historical value). In the second instance, it allows or sometimes forces us to change our attitude towards the monument into a subjective one. Having worked as a conservator, I have been convinced many times that the artefacts can be more valuable than one life. Taking into consideration one human life it seems like a misconception, however, when we think of an artifact, history, tradition, beauty and finally humankind, it seems to be of great value. Although so many cultures disappeared from the Earth, however they still exist and bear testimony to us. It is very well reflected in the quotation “Conservatio est aeterna creation”- Conservatory work is an eternal process of creation 8. There is also one simple rule of Mrs. Maria Rudy, MA at University of Nicholas Copernicus that I learnt during university lectures. It says that we have the right to give up 5-15 % of our own opinion, personality and artistry in the renovated artifact. To illustrate the ethics issues of activities of conservation in the ethical, esthetical and legal aspect in the last few years, three buildings were chosen: Villa of the Frankel family from the 19th century, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Adalbert, called ,,the Church on the Hill” in Opole and the tenement in Lądek Zdrój, Rynek 1. The first building can serve as an example of conversation-restoration. The aim of conservatory work was to preserve a great quantity of decorations that were found, to do a partial reconstruction and bring the building to its previous beauty. Villa of the Frankel family in Prudnik at Kościuszki 1A Street is one of three villas that were built by the Frankel family, a textile tycoon, in the second half of the 19th century (photos 1-4). The villa represents a unique social and material status of the family. It had the rich décor of the interior, sumptuous furnishings and decorations and very rich architectural form. It was built ca. 1883 and is one of the examples of the last years activities undertaken by the local government to renovate the building by means of investment funds from the European Union. The renovation of the villa serves as an example and an illustration of the threats to the building that adaptation and 8

A memory book devoted to Prof. J. Tajchmanowi ,,Conservatio est aeterna creatio”, a collective work, Toruń 1999r.

renovation pose in the light of the existing Act (2012) 9. According to the Act, the contractor was chosen on the basis of the lowest price disregarding the uniqueness of the building. It resulted in arising problems, especially if during the conservatory work new ornaments, elements of decorations were discovered that were of great artistic and historical value to the building. It obviously caused problems with deadlines, increased the range and price of conservatory works. The project documentation included standard and complex documentation10, however a conservation program did not comprise stratigraphic and instrumental research 1112. The project itself was reflected in estimates, bills of quantities and specification. As a matter of fact, all the complete documentation enabled to gain conservation permit. The investor, however, did not consult with the conservation authorities the range and the terms and conditions of the tendering, and first of all did not ask for the conservation guideline which is the basic required document that allows to make the right architectural project and documentation of the historical monument. Moreover, the architect did not ask for the guideline mentioned above before doing an architectural project, as well. Therefore, there were many inaccuracies, requests to diversify the tasks, questions and explanations in the process of tendering. Once the documentation was completed, the tender was won by a building company. At that stage three conservators offered their cooperation, however, at the initial stage two of them resigned. The work started at the beginning of the year 2010 and it was very intensive. Due to the increased vigilance of the conservation supervisor and the manager of conservatory work, at the initial stage original stucco, polychromes and gilding on the ceilings and the walls as well as original wood veneer decorations hidden under the oil paint were discovered. A part of the conservatory works was stopped, the information of the discovery was passed to Provincial Heritage Monuments Protection Office in Opole and the conservation research was undertaken. There were several researches conducted simultaneously: opencast works, stratigraphic and instrumental researches, measurements, documentation completion. At the same time the current building, installation and craft work was being supervised and correlated in terms of conservation requirements. However, the enormousness of the building and constant discoveries of new decorations required additional support of a conservator of paintings and a conservator of polychromic sculpture. There was a necessity to employ the qualified conservators

as extra

workers. The contractor allowed to hire the second conservator to undertake researches. There were examined: the walls and the ceilings in the main hall, the walls and the ceiling of the entry 9 I.Solisz, D.K.Kociszewska (2012) Conservatory and adaptation work on Villa of the Frankel Family in Prudnik. In the eye of a Voivodeship Conservator. In the eye of the manger of the conservatory work. Opolski Informator Konserwatorski, Opole 2012r. 10 A.R.P. Projektowanie Marek Partyka (2007)Project documentation of rebuilt and maintenence of the former House of a Textile Worker in Prudnik done by, microbiological research and constructor's opinion. 11 Joanna Szot (2007) Historical-architectural researches and conservatory researches of the former House of a Textile Worker in Prudnik , 207, typescript, archive WUOZ Opole. 12 Elżbieta Grabarczyk (2007) Conservatory programm (guidelines) of conservatory works in Villa Prudnik, typescript, archive WUOZ Opole.

hall, the ceilings of the side corridors, the ceilings and the walls in loggia (in some parts of the rooms opencast works were done that proved that there are no more decorations)131415. No one expected that after few alterations, misuse and long negligence, the building, despite losing majority of historical furnishings and paintings, will preserve so many traces of the original decorations. The existing situation resulted in numerous problems and discrepancies in opinions of architects, conservators and the contractor who was seeking ways to save money. For a long period of time there was no formal legal and financial solution to the problem. The primal conservatory work related to a smaller range of quantity and technology. Moreover, the conservatory work estimates were much lower than the real costs of the work. The new situation required to hold extra meetings and to attend at them in the building and in the institutions that were involved. There were also committee meetings set up with a MKiDN expert prof. Ireneusz Płuska and additional opinions 1617

were requested. A new program of conservatory work was agreed on 18.

Moreover, the

conservatory work estimates were amended due to the formal-legal actions undertaken that allowed to choose additional conservatory workers. However, the conservators engaged in the project (apart from the manager of conservatory work) were subcontractors and played an advisory role rather than a decision-making one. A part of the work in accordance with stratigraphic opencasts and instrumental research concerning e.g. colours of the elevation, was undertaken in spring and could last without any holds as well as the work on the fountains, a fireplace, the stained-glass windows, a fence etc. However, the major part of the conservatory work concerning the interiors commenced while the half of the investment was done (in January 2011). Therefore, a wider range of activities in a shorter period of time for conservatory work with the building work in the background resulted in the fact that the work itself was a big challenge. Additional activities had to be correlated so that the lasting building work did not interfere with the conservatory work and would enable the conservators to work faster and provide them with the appropriate conditions to finish in the second stage of the project. The necessity to lighten a decorative facet in the main hall was stressed by 13 D.Kowalik-Kociszewska, M.Matuszczyk, R. Szelwach (2010) Conservatory documentation on Villa of the Frankel Family in Prudnik with stratigraphic and laboratory research, conservatory work project on wood paneling, carpentry, wooden elements, two fountains, a fireplace, candelabras, stained glass windows, parquet floor in the entry hall, painting on the wall in the main hall, elevation that was completed by D.K.Kociszewska with a program of conservatory work on metal elements, stone and ceramic vases. 14 D.Kowalik-Kociszewska (2009) The results of conservatory research on the ceiling in the main hall, walls and ceilings in the main hall, mazering of the wood paneling, the elevation plaster and the interior done by Dorota Kowalik- Kociszewska 15 R. Szelwach (2010) Laboratory research - dr Paweł Szroeder, Adam Cupa MA, dr Jarosław Rogóż) with a conservatory work program . A documentation of conservatory research on ornamnets and stuccos in the porch and the loggia. 16 An opinion of Heritage conservator supervision Krystyna Piecuch, MA Engineer Architect, typescript, archive WUOZ Opole. 17 An opinion of dr Janusz Smaza – an expert of all-Poland Council for Conservators of Historic Monuments Association of Polish Fine Artists under instructions of the architects of A.R.P. Projektowanie Marek Partyka 18 A. Pająk (2009) A conservatory program of ornaments, painting and wall decor and wooden décor in Villa H. Frankel in Prudnik, by Anita Pająk, MA

conservators while the work was in progress. The facet was the support of the 3rd floor gallery. It was also done. By the time the investment was finished, the frequency of meetings concerning the villa with contractors, building council meetings as well as conservation committee meetings had not been lower. Despite the obstacles that were encountered the work was finally completed on time and the villa could be used by the town. In 2012 the conservatory work on villa was awarded in the competition “Zabytek zadbany” (well-kept monument) by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN). The competition procedures were established by the National Heritage Board of Poland (NID). The town Prudnik and its district were awarded for the complex conservatory work that preserves the architectural values of Villa of the Frankel family and gives it the significant place in the local scope. To sum up, the high standards of the conservatory work were sustained apart from the unfavourable employment conditions. The conservator had to work as a subordinate to the Contractor who was seeking ways to save money, as a conservation specialist for the Investor who was expecting the work done in accordance with the project and the estimates (that sometimes were full of mistakes and inaccurancies). Moreover, the conservator served as a conservator that was allowed to conduct work with WUOZ permit and who cared for the work to be done duly. Furthermore, the conservator objected to part of the project proposals, which was perceived by the architects as an attack on their personal professionalism rather than an obvious action to protect the building. What is also worth mentioning is the role of a conservator-renovator (a technician, an artist and an ethicist) who runs business activity, works almost every time in a new, distant location, among co-workers that s/he has just met often outdoors. A successful completion of work and flexibility to perform so many roles is only possible if, obligatorily, the best interests of the building are the priority and the conservator takes responsibility for his/her actions and receives remuneration that is according to the scope of work and the work issues. Health problems are very often the price they pay for. The second building is an example of conservation as an act of creation. Its main aim was to restore the esthetic values and to protect the oldest church in Opole against the damaging factors. The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Adalbert, called the Church on the Hill (photos 5-8) is the first wooden church that was built ca. 1000 year. In the year 1254 it was nominated as a parish church. From 1304 till 1530 it belonged to the Dominican Order. From 1540 -1558 as a Protestant church it was closed and abandoned. From 1604 it belonged to the Dominican Order 19 and was rebuilt, however two fires in 1615 and 1620 destroyed the building. The Swedish invasion in 1634 caused vast destruction to the church, however it was completely destroyed during the Deluge in 1656 by warfare and numerous fires (1682). The church was rebuilt in the years 1701-1708, 19 A Filing card of the Historic Buildings and Architecture WUOZ Opole, author: Dariusz Stoces MA, PG, VI. 2005r.

however the subsequent fires ( in 1739 and 1762) destroyed the results. The renovated church survived till 1811 when the school building was given over to a near Catholic secondary school. During Napoleonian Wars, the church was transformed into a military warehouse, and later into a hospital. At the end of the 19th century a tower next to the side chapel was built. In 1926 and in the years 1931-1938 and in 1950 the church was renovated again. In 1972 a priest Edward Kucharz (1931-2006), Doctor of History of Art and a conservator that gained his tuition at Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow became the parish church priest. He fought successfully for the church existence when a severe crack in an escarpment in the Opole hill and endangered the church. In 1997 the church was successfully saved20. From 2006 priest Marek Trzeciak became the parish church priest. In years 2007-2010 and 2011-2013 he attempted to renovate the church tower and all the church elevation. The expenditures were covered by the parishioners’ donations (collection of money on the church renovation, small donations), sponsors and the Office of the Marshall and the Municipal Office of Opole’s subsidies as well as Local Revitalization Programme and the Regional Operational Programme for the Voivodship. In October 2008 I was asked to manage conservatory work of the church elevation when the work was in progress. The main contractor was a building company. I found out discreetly that two previous conservators had resigned. Having not asked for the explanations, I climbed up the scaffolding and did a primary examination of the building, a range of activities and the deadline that had to be 15th December 2008. I agreed and at the end of October 2008 WUOZ decision in Opole was made to change the permit of March 2008 concerning the person who manages conservatory work. The documentation “The metre of architectural –building project of elevation renovation with colours determined and the programme of conservatory work on the Roman Catholic church named Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Adalbert” contained the general conservatory guidelines

that did not correspond to the whole existing state of the building

elevations. A part of the cement- limestone plaster from the second half of the 20 th century had already been removed and a brick surface that appeared was in such a dreadful condition that no typical conservatory work that was aimed to expose the brick elevation was possible. The exposition of the brick elevation could be seen in the nearby Franciscan Church. The thorough examination allowed to detect the existence of the thin secondary layer of a plaster skim on the brick surface that was ecru – light ochre. Moreover, it was noticed that many places were replaced with other forms of brick from the 19th. It proved that the brick elevation had already been in a poor shape and previous restoration work was based on covering the elevation with a thin-layer plaster. The architectural-conservatory work on the brick walls of the church also commenced 21. At the 20 http://www.parafiamatkiboskiejbolesnejwopolu.mplay.net.pl/?Historia%20Kościoła 21 Cz. Lasota, A. Legendziewicz (2009) The results of architectural research of the north elevation and the walls of the post-Dominican Church named Our Lade of Sorrows in Opole, documentation of the WUOZ archive in Opole

meeting of building council I proposed the solutions that were used on the walls of the Old Town Hall of Wrocław. The technology of the usage of renovating plaster with thick grains (of a visible structure of grains) was discussed in liaison with STO company. It was agreed that the renovating plaster should be applied softly by means of hand or a brush so that each brick was made visible. The application of new material and new technology resulted in frequent (every 2-3 days) visits of the conservator at the site. Some bricks, especially those that were located in the ground required shuttering before plastering. Until the end of December 2008 plastering and other supporting activities, e.g. those concerning gutters, panelling was completed due to very favourable weather conditions in autumn and close liaison with the Main Contractor and workers, the Investor, the representatives of the WUOZ in Opole and the manager of conservatory work. The chemical research on a sample taken showed that in the secondary plaster skims from the 19 th century there were used: a calcium carbonate CaCO3, ochre (ugier) hydrated iron oxide Fe(OH)3, an additive of ferric oxide Fe2O3 and casein binder22. The petrographic research of the same sample revealed that very fine ceramic bits (up to 1 mm) or bog iron ores 0.5% were also used 23. In the sample there was carbonate binder with a small amount of Portland cement. The joint and the remains of older plaster were also researched. The results of the research proved the decision of using a thin-layered plaster to be right at that stage of work. The follow-up work involved a two-stage painting of the plaster and commenced in 2009. A KEIM mineral paint in ecru was used as a primer coat on the whole elevation and then it was glazed with visible ground clearance. The effect was achieved by painting horizontally in the present colour that imitates a colour of a brick. The conservatory act of creation maintained the esthetic qualities of the oldest church completely and integrated it with the neighbouring buildings and the building of Opole University, which gave a new harmonic and elegant character to this historical and significant place. The third building refers to the complex of historic Renaissance and Baroque tenements from 17th and 18th century that are located at the main market square in Lądek Zdrój (photo 9). Conservator works of a tenement no 1,6,7 in 2007 were undertaken by a few conservator of art, a historic buildings conservator and workers24. The main market square in Lądek is one of the most beautiful in Kłodzko Land with its magnificent tenements in the west and the north frontage that are two- or three- storey with Baroque facades. The building no 1 ("Zur Kornecke") was inhabited by baroque sculptor - Michael Klahr and there is his sculpture of White God’s Mother with Baby Jesus on the façade. The Renaissance tenements contain arcades, whereas The Baroque ones have rich stucco ornaments and guild’s symbols on the elevation. After fire in 1739 the tenements lost their 22 Chemical research was done by Elżbieta Orłowska, MA in the laboratory -Laboratorium Konserwatorskie in Toruń 23 Petrographic research was done by dr W. Bartz in ING in Wrocław (XII. 2008). 24 Heritage conservator supervision: Dorota Wandrychowska MA, subcontractors: Dorota Kowalik-Kociszewska MA, Jerzy Skarbek MA.

unique original character. The houses in the south and the east frontage come mainly from the 19 th century. In the years 2007-2008 building-renovation-conservatory works on the elevations of 24 tenements commenced that were mainly covered from the European Union funds gained by Lądek Zdrój. The project done by the employees of the Department of Municipal Development of Lądek Zdrój (without any help of external company) got the funds. A big building company that won a tender, having done some work, raised numerous objections to the building projects that disregarded numerous additional activities that were required. It would come as no surprise if it hadn’t been for the fact that the projects were done by the company that won a tender and now had objections. The disputes concerning project and building work lasted till the half of 2007. The municipality took responsibility for part of the additional activities to have the tasks accomplished and the contractor committed himself to speed up work. Some subcontractors (including our companies) appeared, however there was a bad coordination and the work that had been undertaken was not finished but new works were undertaken that was of big inconvenience to the tenants whose houses were flooded and possessions damaged while the roofs were being renovated. The municipality intervened several times, submitted the work to expert evaluation while the Contractor was finding more and more obstacles. As a result only 12 % of the total work was done for the next half a year (till the end of February 2008)25. Unfortunately, long lasting arrangements, regular correspondence, meetings and further intervention of the Municipality against the non-committal replies of the Contractor and his rejection of some proposals, resulted in the Municipality’s withdrawal to the agreement on 14th April 2008. We were informed about the situation when we were on the scaffoldings of the tenement at Rynek 7 and therefore had to leave the site and cease work. It happened after several months that we had spent on conservatory work of the Baroque ornaments, three days before our work was done. Moreover, we prepared a project on the colour scheme and ordered a paint. The current situation resulted in loss of money, unfinished tasks, uncertainty of the payment of the previous invoices, inability to retrieve the splendor and beauty of the buildings that was of main interest of the authors and present conservators. There was only regret and disgust left. Next year the tenement was painted and regained its historic and esthetic value due to our research, sample analysis and project, however the work was conducted by another company that also received part of the remuneration that we had been supposed to get. The obstacles to the conservatory work appeared also while working on a tenement at Rynek 1 and a tenement at Rynek 6. However, they were overcome. The conservatory works at Rynek 1 and 6 that were done covered part of the decorative elements on the elevation. The differences between the tenements at the market square in Lądek 25

Z. Piotrowicz, Debates in Lądek in: Informator Samorządowy nr 4 (100) 2008r. ISSN 1641-425X

Zdrój done under supervision of the conservators and those that were under architects’ supervision are still visible (photo 9). The former law and the methods of choosing a contractor on the basis of the lowest price were very dangerous, caused conflicts and lowered the standards of work. Further changes in a new MKiDN Regulation of 14th October 2015 for the conservatory, restoration and building work , conservatory research, architectural research and other actions on the building that is registered in the register of historical buildings and archeological research and registrar of historic monuments searched (Dz.U. poz. 1789 z dnia 4. XI.2015r) that were accepted disregarding any conservatory demands of ORKDS cause today anxiety and will cause further inaccuracies, complaints and conflicts. A lack of Chamber of Conservators of Works of Art – a supporting body, and a body that arbitrates disputes within colleagues results in the fact that the conservators’ work for the national cultural heritage, history and ethics is still not visible and their existence reminds often a wave “a disturbance that becomes bigger and bigger in the centre or outside” 26 rather than a balanced body, a chamber, a foundation rock for our heritage and our work. I would like to thank all my colleagues, families, Inspectors and Voivodeship Conservators and Inspectors from WUOZ in Opole and Lower Silesia for support, assistance and partnership in the tasks mentioned. I hope that ORKDS Council of which I have been a member since 2015 with its new Logo will be the keynote - “it sets the tone” to our further actions not only in reference to the historic monuments and works of art but also to social and cultural aspect of Poland and perhaps even Europe. It is the voice of a Conservator of Art who works beyond the structure of three conservation-renovation universities. Code Conservator of Works of Art, working as a Freelancer - reminiscent of the old code of the knight - Lancelot, but its performance is very difficult nowadays. Is Conservator of Works of Art as freelanser is a contemporary Lancelot? Everyone has to allone for himself answer this question. Photos: Photo: 1-4 Villa of the Frankel family in Prudnik (before the conservation-renovation work, after the conservatory work, an element of elevation accomplished according to research and conservatory project, an entry hall after the conservatory work) Photos 5-8 Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Adalbert in Opole (at the beginning of the conservation-renovation work, brick façade after removing the plaster, the Church after the conservatory work, an element of elevation) Photo 9 Tenements no 6,7 in Lądek Zdrój (on the left the Baroque tenement painted according to the architectural project, on the right the tenement done under conservators’ researches and project). Acknowledgements: Thanks to p. mgr Joanna Pietruszewska for translating the text into English

26 https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fala