D15-AL-2018_Caravino, Castello di Masino (FAI), Stipo with Chinese lacquer decorations

Facilitated description:

 

The stipo is a wooden furniture decorated with lacquer (a particular type of paint).
The stipo is decorated with flowers and birds. 
The stipo is kept at the Castle of Masino in Caravino. 
The Castle of Masino is an asset of the Italian Environment Fund. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the model in 2018. 
A restoration student restored the stipo for her thesis (final exam).
The restorer has velinato the stipo (they put a special card that serves to stop the parts that were detaching). 
In this way the restorer has safely transported the type in the restoration laboratories of Venaria.
Then he cleaned the stylus of the dust. 
He put a product against wood-eating insects. 
He glued the parts of paint that were peeling off with the help of small warm weights to make the wood softer and with a special structure made of small sticks.
Afterwards he eliminated the paintings of the old restorations. 
He filled the missing wooden parts with stucco (plaster and glue layer). 
He cleaned the metal parts. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

The restoration of the model with Chinese lacquer decorations of the castle of Masino was carried out as part of a thesis project by Silvia Tagliente (2017-2018). 

Restoration

The stipo was velinated in the decoese parts to be transported to the restoration laboratories of the Venaria Center. The intervention began with the cleaning of atmospheric particulate deposits with brushes and micro-aspiration and a preventive disinfestation with insecticide product. This was followed by the consolidation of the lacquer scales and the preparatory layer: the scales were placed under weights containing hot water to be made more flexible, then solutions were injected to facilitate the penetration of the consolidater (sturgeon glue and starch flour). A support layer of Melinex was therefore created to be able to exert the necessary pressure to re-adhere the flakes by means of a Shimbari frame (consisting of fiberglass rods that exert point pressures). Subsequently, the micro-lifts with brush application of the consolidant and thermocautery and gold leaf decoration were stopped. We then proceeded with the differentiated removal of the overburdened materials, in particular the wax layer that mattified the surface was removed with solvent, the unsuitable or overflowing grouting and the repaintings were mechanically eliminated thanks to the use of gel. We then intervened on the doors, previously dismantled, to treat the biological attack and fill the crack at the level of the right door of the cabinet with stucco and with the insertion of wooden filzette. In addition, the unsuitable lock has been removed and replaced with a wooden tessellation to restore continuity to the wood. The gaps of lacquer and preparation were grouted in a differentiated manner depending on their extent, a protective was applied and the pictorial retouches with acrylic colors were performed.
As for the "ink" decoration, consolidations were carried out with sturgeon glue, the repaintings were removed and the gaps that had discordant chromatic areas were aesthetically rearranged, without integrating the shortcomings. Finally, a review of the constraints and a cleaning of the applied metal elements was carried out. 

Bibliography

- S. Tagliente, Conservation problems and restoration of an eighteenth-century stipo with oriental and "alla china" lacquer decorations, Master’s thesis in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Prof. Gianna Ferraris di Celle, 2017-2018;
- S. Tagliente, Charm of the East: conservation of a lacquer cabinet.