Technical approach and curative conservation and restoration processes of a papier machê giant: “La Turca” from the Corpus de Xàtiva

The festive culture encompasses different representations that enrich the collective imagination as elements of heritage identity reinforcement. Giants and big heads are a statement of such folkloric richness, symbolically linked to the tradition of immaterial connotation. This article contextualizes, historically and ichnographically, one of the papier mâche giants from the Corpus Christi festival in the Valencian city of Xativa. The technical, material and physiognomic examination of the sculpture, popularly known as “La Turca”, served as a preliminary study to determine its state of conservation. As a festive element used in processions, this sculpture exhibited significant structural and dimensional problems, as well as previous intrusive interventions, especially in polychrome areas, repeatedly applied with the purpose to recover the work’s appearance. Finally, based on the preliminary examinations, curative conservation and restoration treatments were performed, aimed at the most relevant deteriorations.