Planned conservation at Palazzo Te. Restoration of the decoration and frescoes on the east and south walls of the Chamber of Cupid and Psyche
Stefano Benetti - Director Civic Museums
28 April 2014
As part of planned conservation work the Chamber of Cupid and Psyche has for some time been carefully monitored. This is part of the philosophy that optimization of the resources available is essential and that it is inopportune to wait until damage is already apparent.
Between 2011 and 2014 the decoration and frescoes on the east and south walls were restored, as small amounts of fallen paint and localized lifting were evident. Now the walls are fully interpretable once again.
South wall of the room
2013-2014
Work carried out by restoration company: Ottorino Nonfarmale, San Lazzaro (BO)
Cost: € 15,500.00 - Financing: Municipal Administration
Type of work
The wall showed small areas of fallen paint with some localized lifting. Also recorded under thick layers of inconsistent atmospheric particulate was more or less widespread whitening, probably caused by an altered fixative, perhaps the residue of a protective layer used in previous restoration work.
As for the frescoes, these were dusted, cleaned and the decorated surfaces were consolidated with deep-down removal of dust to restore transparency and brightness to the colours. This was followed by a reduction of fixatives which had faded, restoration of detached parts, mechanical removal of small, almost completely detached grouting from previous restoration, filling of small gaps, consolidation of separated areas and small lifted parts, the removal of altered restoration, and restoration with watercolour hatching or a wash.
For the stuccoes, the surface was dusted and cleaned, detached parts were consolidated, gaps filled with grouting and a watercolour wash used to complete missing areas. (C.P)
East wall of the room
2011
Work carried out by restoration company: Consorzio Arkè (Rome)
Cost: € 20,000.00 - Financing: Municipal Administration
Type of work
On the wall the worst damage was to the frescoes, particularly near the lunettes in the top band of the entire east wall, and in the corner facing north-east. In particular the damage consisted in bleaching caused by layers of salts and alterations to the Paraloid, and lifted paint caused by subflorescence and isolated occurrences of fallen paint.
As for the frescoes, the surface was dusted with a soft brush and vacuum cleaned, the painted surfaces were cleaned using special erasers; small, almost completely detached stucco restoration was removed mechanically; small gaps were filled and layers of Paraloid removed. This was followed by consolidation of cracked parts and small lifted areas of paint and plaster, removal of altered restoration and finally restoration of frescoes and stucco with watercolour hatching or a wash.
For the stuccoes, the surface was dusted with soft brushes and vacuumed then cleaned with cotton balls slightly moistened with water and surfactant. This was followed by dry removal of soluble salts using soft brushes, consolidation of detached parts, removal of the most severely detached areas, grouting of missing parts and addition of a watercolour wash. (C.P)