Restoring: Carved chest

Restoring: Carved chest

This object of restoration was my final practical exam for diploma in study programme: 82-42-N/004 Conservation and Restoration of Furniture and Non-Polychromed Wood Carving. My supervisor was Bc. Zdeněk Holý, DiS.

Description of the object

The object (165 cm lenght, 60 cm height, 58 cm depth) is
a carved chest with the Renaissance appearance. The front side is decorated with
a carved relief of two curvilinear and symmetrical branches with leaves and two panels
with acanthus leaf carving on the sides. The chest’s sides and the central front carving
are surrounded by a frame. A bottom is decorated with a composite moulding and the
chest itself is standing on disc-shaped bun feet. There is a German-type lock inside, so
called Katzenkopfschloß.

Condition

The object suffered some damage and changes with time. All sides,
including the lid and the bottom are cracked, split and infested by insects. The
dimensions were changed and the frame parts with feet and the moulding are unoriginal.
The surface and appearance are damaged by disproportionate wear and substandard new
coatings.

Treatment

The object was documented and analysed on the level of individual parts for
deeper understanding of its history. All sides were a gap-filled and fixed. The surface
was cleaned and unified without the loss of historical marks. The areas infested by insect
have been consolidated. Flight holes and damage caused by excessive wear were filled
and retouched.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.