36-AL-2006_Nichelino, Hunting lodge by Stupinigi, I. and L. Ravelli (attr.), Chest of drawers with architecture, inv. 2156

Facilitated description:

 

The chest of drawers is a wooden cabinet with drawers and a marble shelf. 
The chest of drawers is decorated with architectural figures.
Ignazio and Luigi Ravelli made the chest of drawers in 1790-1799.
The chest of drawers is kept at the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the chest of drawers in 2006-2007 after the furniture was found. The chest of drawers was stolen in 2004.
The restorers have placed the furniture in an anoxic chamber (room without oxygen that serves to eliminate insects that feed on wood).
They carried out a cleaning (cleaned the surface from the dirt deposited over time).
The chest of drawers had gaps (missing parts) in the wooden cladding. 
The restorers supplemented (filled the gaps) with wooden tiles and beeswax. 
In the end they painted the chest of drawers to protect it from the sun's rays and dust.

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

The restoration of the chest of drawers with architecture, attributed to Ignazio and Luigi Ravelli, was completed in 2007 under the supervision of Pinin Brambilla Barcilon. The intervention was carried out on the occasion of the discovery of the nucleus of works stolen from the hunting lodge of Stupinigi in 2004. After the restoration, the work was relocated to the Palazzina.

 

Restoration

The work was subjected to disinfestation treatment in anoxic chamber for a period of three weeks. Subsequently, a differentiated cleaning was carried out depending on the materials aimed at eliminating deposits. The raised slab parts were glued and gaps were integrated with tiles of the same wood essence. The gaps and flicker holes were then plastered with pigmented beeswax.
Finally, a protective painting was carried out.