34-AL-2006_Nichelino, Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, Crescent chest of drawers, inv. 4808

Facilitated description:

 

The chest of drawers is a wooden cabinet with drawers, a marble shelf and golden decorations.
The casettone was built in 1800-1824.
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 carried out a cleaning (cleaned the surface from the dirt deposited over time).
The chest of drawers had gaps (missing parts) in the wooden cladding. 
The restorers supplemented (filled the gaps) with wooden tiles and beeswax. 
They inserted two bronze copies to replace the two missing feet of the front legs.
In the end they painted the chest of drawers to protect it from the sun's rays and dust.

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

The restoration of the Piedmontese or French crescent chest of drawers 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 Palace of Stupinigi in 2004. After the restoration, the work was relocated to the Palazzina.

 

Restoration

The work was subjected to disinfestation in anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks. Subsequently, a differentiated cleaning was carried out depending on the materials aimed at eliminating deposits. The raised slab parts were glued and gaps were integrated with tiles of the same wood essence. The gaps and flicker holes were then plastered with pigmented beeswax. The two missing feet have been supplemented with two bronze copies. Finally, a protective coating was carried out.