Supported by a special Mellon Foundation grant, this course will draw on the expertise of senior conservators in the Bay Area to give graduate students in art history (and other related graduate programs) better understanding concerning the nature of the materials and the fabrication of art objects. Students will be introduced to the processes of art production and conservation through the technical analysis of artifacts. We will also consider the theoretical dimensions of conservation and the ways materials change over time with a view to sharpening analytical skills.