08mc18-ML-2014_Santena, Castello Cavour, G. Raimony, Statue of Camillo Cavour, inv. II/277

Facilitated description: 

 

The statue of Camillo Cavour is a small plaster statue with a painted wooden base.
The statue was made in 1858. 
The statue is kept at Castello Cavour in Santena. 
The restorers of the La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the statue in 2014-2016. 
The restorers cleaned the statue of dust. 
They took out the pencil marks. 
They painted the ruined parts of the statue with watercolors. 
They cleaned the wooden base. 
They have filled the holes caused by the insects that eat the wood. 
They put on the base a product against insects that eat wood.
They painted the wooden base to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

Restoration

The intervention on the statuette of Cavour is part of the restoration of the furnishings of the bedroom and study of Cavour of the Castle of Santena on the occasion of the refurbishment of the entire residence. 
The restoration of the plaster statuette began with cleaning from the inconsistent deposit with brushes and vacuum cleaners. It was followed by a dry cleaning with white Wishab powder brushed and vacuumed. The cleaning was finished with the use of tires at the level of the hands, shoulders and thighs. Graphite marks have been lightened. Finally, a chromatic rebalancing was performed with watercolor retouching.
The restoration also included an intervention at the level of the basement. 
A disinfestation in anoxic chamber was carried out on the base, followed by mechanical and chemical cleaning to eliminate surface deposits. The flicker holes were filled with pigmented resin. The gaps were integrated and tuned with watercolor colors. Finally, an anti-moth product and a protective varnish were applied.