{"id":3146,"date":"2025-07-02T21:48:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T21:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/?p=3146"},"modified":"2025-07-02T21:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T21:48:15","slug":"from-masterpieces-to-makeup-eco-friendly-art-conservation-gentle-enough-for-human-skin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/3146\/from-masterpieces-to-makeup-eco-friendly-art-conservation-gentle-enough-for-human-skin\/","title":{"rendered":"From masterpieces to makeup: eco-friendly art conservation gentle enough for human skin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Green art conservation methods developed by EU-funded researchers are setting new standards and proving useful far beyond museums, from cosmetics to agriculture.<\/p>\n

By<\/em> Michaela Nesvarova<\/p>\n

Professor Piero Baglioni vividly recalls the moment that set him on a lifelong path of art conservation. It was 1966, and the young Italian chemistry student witnessed firsthand an event that would change the course of his career.<\/p>\n

On 4 November, his home city, Florence, experienced a devastating flood, possibly the worst in the Renaissance city\u2019s history. The disaster claimed dozens of lives and damaged millions of priceless artwork and rare books. Some masterpieces were lost forever, and others were in dire need of restoration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flood impacted most of the city,\u201d said Baglioni. \u201cFresco paintings in our churches were damaged, books and other artwork stored in basements were ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preserving cultural identity<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the aftermath, experts around the world scrambled to find new ways to preserve these damaged masterpieces. One of the leading figures in this effort was Baglioni\u2019s professor, Enzo Ferroni, who invited him to observe the city\u2019s restoration workshops.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to see art from a different angle,\u201d said Baglioni.<\/p>\n

That experience marked the beginning of a distinguished career. Today, Baglioni is a professor at the University of Florence and an internationally recognised expert in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.<\/p>\n

He has led several major international art conservation initiatives, including a three-year EU-funded research collaboration called GREENART which will conclude in September 2025.<\/p>\n

Building on years of studying cultural heritage conservation, the GREENART research team is developing a range of new eco-friendly solutions for the conservation and restoration of cultural artefacts, including valuable paintings, sculptures and textiles.<\/p>\n

The researchers\u2019 aim is to move beyond traditional conservation techniques, many of which rely on energy-intensive processes or environmentally harmful materials. Instead, the GREENART team focuses on sustainable, non-toxic alternatives that protect both cultural heritage and the planet.<\/p>\n

Coordinated by the Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI) at the University of Florence\u2019s Department of Chemistry, GREENART brings together leading research institutes, chemical companies and cultural heritage organisations from across Europe and beyond. They also include partners in Brazil, China, Japan, the UK and the US.<\/p>\n

While CSGI\u2019s work spans a broad range of advanced technologies, GREENART is firmly rooted in the world of art.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy focus on art?\u201d Baglioni asked. \u201cBecause it is part of our patrimony. Art is like a fingerprint in our mind. Visual art reminds us of who we are. Without it, we lose part of our identity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baglioni also highlights the economic importance of the art sector, which provides jobs for millions across Europe and generates billions of euros in annual revenue.<\/p>\n

\u201cProtecting art isn\u2019t just about preserving cultural value, it\u2019s also about sustaining the economic ecosystem that surrounds it,\u201d\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n

Green, greener, greenest<\/strong><\/p>\n

The innovative methods developed by the GREENART team have already earned recognition as a new benchmark in art conservation, according to Baglioni.<\/p>\n

Paintings, which previously could only be cleaned with toxic solvents, can now be restored using complex fluids and bio-based gels. This makes the process much more efficient and environmentally friendly.<\/p>\n

These cutting-edge techniques have already been adopted by some of the world\u2019s most famous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and the Tate in London.<\/p>\n

Museums are active partners in the development process, rigorously testing each new solution until it meets the highest standards. A high level of precision is essential, Baglioni said, especially when restoring masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, C\u00e9zanne, Pollock, Rothko and Lichtenstein.<\/p>\n

Not resting on their laurels, the GREENART team is continuing to push the boundaries of sustainable conservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have created new systems that are fully sustainable, renewable and non-toxic,\u201d said Baglioni. \u201cWe only use eco-friendly materials from renewable natural sources or recycled waste. It is the greenest approach possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research has resulted in a suite of new tools: cleaning gels and fluids, protective coatings, environmental sensors to monitor artworks\u2019 conditions and sustainable packaging to safeguard objects in transit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you think of art conservation, you might just think of cleaning paintings, but GREENART is so much more than that,\u201d said Baglioni.<\/p>\n

From canvas to skin<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the GREENART researchers\u2019 core mission lies in safeguarding cultural heritage, their scientific innovations have applications that extend well beyond the art world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have gained a lot of knowledge in material science through our work on art,\u201d says Baglioni. \u201cThat expertise could benefit many other fields.\u201d<\/p>\n

One area the team has been exploring is cosmetics, in collaboration with the Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe GREENART technology is very useful for our industry,\u201d said Dr Taku Ogura, a senior researcher at Shiseido and visiting associate professor at the Tokyo University of Science in Japan.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake microemulsion technology \u2013 it\u2019s used to clean delicate artwork, but it also works brilliantly for cleansing human skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ogura explained, these new techniques can help make cosmetic preparations cleaner and greener. Shiseido has already incorporated the technique into some of its existing products, such as a sustainable cleansing foam for makeup removal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis product is not only effective and easy to use, it is also more sustainable, which is very important for us,\u201d said Ogura, who has worked on the foam himself and is proud to see it on the market.<\/p>\n

And the potential does not stop there. Ogura believes GREENART\u2019s technology could soon make an impact in other areas, including\u00a0detergents, agriculture, and even medicine.<\/p>\n

World Expo<\/strong><\/p>\n

To highlight this cross-sector potential \u2013 from preserving ancient canvases to advancing skincare \u2013 the GREENART project was featured at the EU Pavilion during the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan.<\/p>\n

\u201cParticipating in the World Expo is very important to us,\u201d said Baglioni. \u201cWe want to show that technologies developed for art can have much broader applications.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visitors to the exhibition were introduced to GREENART\u2019s innovative solutions for the conservation of cultural heritage and their surprising connection to the world of cosmetics.<\/p>\n

Many even had the opportunity to try the eco-friendly products, some of which are expected to reach the market soon after the project concludes in 2025.<\/p>\n

The World Expo was also a wonderful opportunity to expand the collaboration with Japanese partners, said Baglioni.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo do something new, we need the right people with the right knowledge. We need the best in the world. To push the boundaries, we need international cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u200bThis article was originally published\u202fin\u00a0Horizon<\/a>\u00a0the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

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