108-AL-2018_Caravino, Castello di Masino (FAI), G. Gigola, Tableau with Trivulzio family miniatures, SBAS TO 875

Facilitated description:

 

The tableau with miniatures (small paintings) of the Trivulzio family is a painting on ivory (material that is obtained from the tusks of elephants). 
The painting represents four members of the Trivulzio family.
Giambattista Gigola made the painting in 1804-1805 using different materials such as ivory, metal, glass and wood. 
The painting is kept at the Castle of Masino in Caravino. 
The Castello di Masino is an asset of the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI). 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre has carried out a maintenance (small interventions) on the painting. 
The restorers placed the painting in the anoxic chamber, an oxygen-free chamber that serves to eliminate wood-eating insects. 
They put a product against insects that eat wood. 
They glued the parts of wood that were coming off.
They cleaned the painting and the frame of the dust. 
They changed the screws that fixed the painting to the frame. 
They inserted adhesive strips so as not to rub the painting and the frame. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

Maintenance

The maintenance work on the tableau with miniatures of the Trivulzio family, kept at the castle of Masino, provided an anoxic disinfestation and a preventive treatment with anti-moth product. On the work, in fact, traces of rosemary and flickering holes were found. The portions of metal frame and carving lifted with glue infiltrations were then consolidated and placed under weight to prevent deformation during drying. Subsequently, a surface cleaning was carried out with soft bristle brushes and vacuum cleaner to remove the incoherent deposit. In addition, a new frame panel constraint system has been designed: nails and screws have been removed and strips have been inserted to facilitate the natural movements of the wood in relation to environmental thermohygrometric variations. Teflon strips were applied to the strips to reduce friction between the contact surfaces. Finally, the work was constrained with a system of screws inserted in specially designed slotted housings.