124mc11-AL-2017_Turin, Royal Palace, B. Ferrero, Cassettone, inv. DC 10096

Facilitated description: 

 

The chest of drawers is a painted and gilded wooden cabinet with 2 drawers and a marble shelf. Biagio Ferrero made the chest of drawers in 1789.
The chest of drawers is kept at the Royal Palace of Turin.
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the chest of drawers in 2017.
The restorers have placed the chest of drawers in the anoxic chamber, a chamber without oxygen that serves to eliminate insects that feed on wood.
They cleaned the wooden parts and the marble top from dust. They put on the marble a substance that protects from the sun's rays and dust.
They glued the detached wooden parts and filled the missing wooden parts with putty (plaster and glue layer).
They colored the putty with watercolors and golden powder.
They fixed one of the support feet and eliminated rust from the metal parts.
In the end they painted the chest of drawers to protect it from the sun's rays and dust.

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention: 

 

Restoration carried out on the occasion of the exhibition on display Genius and mestria. Furniture and cabinetmakers at the Savoy court between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (Reggia di Venaria, Sala delle Arti 17 March - 15 July 2018). 

Restoration

The surgery began with treatment in an anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks to eliminate any symptomatic attacks. The surface was then chemically cleaned of atmospheric particulate matter and incoherent deposits, while rubbers of varying softness were used for the painted parts. The marble top was cleaned with a mixture of demineralized water and ammonium carbonate in saturated solution and the scratches were chromatically intoned with watercolor colors. A protective layer of microcrystalline wax was then laid on the shelf. Subsequently, the consolidation of the micro-lifts and the plastering of the gaps were carried out, then chromatically integrated with watercolor colors (spotted technique) and micacea powder on the gilding.
The missing decoration of the left rear foot has been redefined in wood, anchored to the support with vinyl glue and chromatically integrated. Oxidation was eliminated on the handles and nozzles and the nails were treated with rust converter. Finally, anti-moth solution and a protective varnish were applied to the surface. 

 

Bibliography

F. Gualano, Sheet 40, in Genius and mestria. Furniture and cabinetmakers at the Savoy court between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (catalogue), edited by S. De Blasi, Turin, Allemandi, 2018, pp. 255.