17mc25-AL-2013_Nichelino, Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, Cross, inv. 1797

Facilitated description: 

 

The cross is made of gilded wood.
The cross is kept in the hunting lodge of Stupinigi.
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the cross in 2013. 
The restorers have placed the cross in the anoxic chamber (room without oxygen that serves to eliminate insects that eat wood). 
They wiped the cross from the dust.
They stopped the gilding parts that were coming off.  
They filled with stucco (plaster and glue) the missing wood parts and holes caused by insects eating the wood. 
They painted the stucco with watercolors. 
They put a product against insects that eat wood. 
In the end they painted the cross to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

Restoration 

The cross of the Squires' room was initially subjected to disinfestation in the anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks.
Subsequently, a chemical cleaning of the deposits and the mechanical scalpel removal of the most consistent sediments was carried out on the entire golden surface. On the back, on the other hand, a mechanical cleaning was carried out with medium soft rubbers.
The consolidation of the lifts was carried out with injections of acrylic resin.
The gaps were filled with stucco (bologna plaster and animal glue), then blunted with brass canvas and scalpel and chromatically integrated with watercolor colors and mica powder. The flickering holes have been filled with waxy putty added with natural pigments.
Finally, preventive disinfestation with anti-moth solution was carried out and the final painting was carried out.