44-AL-2006_Nichelino, Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, I. and L. Ravelli (attr.), Cassettone, inv. 6808

Facilitated description:

 

The chest of drawers is an inlaid wooden cabinet (decorated with different types of wood) and with some bronze parts.
Ignazio and Luigi Ravelli made the chest of drawers in 1790-1799 with different types of wood and bronze.
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 chest of drawers 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 or from the layers of old restorations).
The restorers consolidated (made more stable) the parts of wood that were detaching.
The chest of drawers had gaps (missing parts) in the wooden cladding. 
The restorers integrated (filled) a gap with the same type of wood. 
They filled holes caused by xylophagous insects (insects that feed on wood) with colored wax.
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 chest of drawers attributed to the Ravelli brothers 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 chest of drawers was subjected to disinfestation in the anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks. A differentiated cleaning was then carried out at the level of the support structure and the decorated surface. Subsequently, the slab lifts were glued. The tiles missing from the slabs were integrated using the same wood essence and chromatic intonations. The grouting of the flicker holes with pigmented beeswax and the final protective varnishing were followed.