30-AL-2006_Nichelino, Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, Chest of drawers, inv. 349

Facilitated description:

 

The chest of drawers is a wooden cabinet with a marble shelf and gilded decorations made in 1775-1799.
The chest of drawers is kept at the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the chest of drawers in 2006-2007 after the furniture was found. The chest of drawers was stolen in 2004.
The restorers have placed the furniture in an anoxic chamber (room without oxygen that serves to eliminate insects that feed on wood).
They consolidated (made more stable) the cracks in the wood by inserting small pieces of wood. 
The chest of drawers had gaps (missing parts) in the wood. 
The restorers stuccoed (same white layer of plaster and glue) the gaps.
They redone the missing decoration of the bottom drawer.
They treated the interior of the cabinet with product against xylophagous insects (insects that feed on wood).
The restorers carried out a cleaning (cleaning the surface from the dirt deposited over time).
In the end they integrated (filled the gaps) the gilding and painted the chest of drawers to protect it from the sun's rays and dust.

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

The restoration of the chest of drawers attributed to Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo was completed in 2007 under the supervision of Pinin Brambilla Barcilon. The intervention was carried out on the occasion of the discovery of the nucleus of works stolen from the hunting lodge of Stupinigi in 2004. After the restoration, the work was relocated to the Palazzina.

 

Restoration

The furniture was subjected to disinfestation in anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks. The cracks, which crossed horizontally the central panels of both sides of the chest of drawers, were closed with filzette and plastered with plaster and glue. The missing carving of the lower drawer was redone, then pinstriped, gilded and coated with earth and alcohol to make it similar to the original. The inside of the chest of drawers was treated with a brush-proof solution.
The entire lacquered surface was cleaned with soft rubbers to remove the layer of dust deposited over time, while the gilding was cleaned with triammonium citrate. Subsequently, the lacquering was made more homogeneous by retouching with tempera colors and lowering the stains with chalks. The gilding gaps were grouted and smoothed. The gouache gilding was then redone, then coated with earth and alcohol.
The inside of the paper-coated drawers was cleaned with soft rubbers.
The entire surface of the chest of drawers was treated with protective varnish.
Finally, the marble top was cleaned, stains and abrasions were attenuated, microcrystalline wax was also protected and a final polishing was carried out.