After a brief introduction to the problems of cleaning art works, the variable effects of a pulsed laser beam are described with formulas. Treatment of outdoor marble sculpture in Venice is discussed and test cleanings on tarnished silver threads, stained paper, encrusted stain glass, etc., are mentioned. Encouraging, but less satisfactory, results have been witnessed in the removal of darkened varnish residues from depressions in gold gilt regions of panel paintings and uniformly pigmented oil and acrylic overpaints... Even more discouraging have been attempts to remove foxing from paper (without damaging the paper) and overpaints from ceramics. Another area of application has been the removal of mildew from fragile red-rot infested leather-bound books. The major problem in the practical implementation of laser conservation has been to produce a uniform result. Overlapping of laser impact spots, recondensation of accretions, and slow progress are cited as problems. Both laser and xenon flashlamp systems can be used for divestment. Several hundred square feet of murals in Sacramento have been divested of overpaint and 7000 square feet of antique iron in Dallas have been divested of rust using laser and flashlamp radiation. Carbon dioxide lasers are relatively high in efficiency but low in cost. However, it appears that they are useful only for metal cleaning. Surface divestment with light may be a more universally successful conservation alternative when more versatile laser types become commercially available. -- AATA