Restoration of polychrome wood sculpture: a case study with highly weakened polychrome

Abstract

This article presents a case study of a polychrome wood carving sculpture representing Jesus Christ crucified. The piece belongs to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Glória, located in the district of Ressaca/Carandaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was in a poor state of conservation, especially the very fragile polychrome, impairing the work. legibility. From the analysis of the state of conservation of the object, four important points were considered to support the proposed treatment: stability, reversibility, aesthetic legibility, and the potential oneness conceptualized by Cesare Brandi, which aimed at the stability of the material that would guarantee the potential oneness of the work without creating a historical and artistic falsehood. These points are directly linked to the modern techniques and resources used, as well as the intention to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the work. The entire polychrome process was of great importance to acquire its stability, due to the presence of four types of lacunae. Lastly, the chromatic reintegration, in which the pointillism technique was used, aimed to be distinguishable from the pictorial layer of the work. Therefore, this study aims to present the restoration process of a polychrome wood sculpture and, mainly, to demonstrate the importance of chromatic reintegration to insert and ensure aesthetic legibility and a potential oneness of the work.