Intervenção de conservação e restauro na pintura de fingidos (marmoreados) do piso térreo do Picadeiro Real, Museu Nacional dos Coches

Abstract

The research developed for the present Dissertation, carried out during the practical work of restoration and analytical study of the painting of fake marbled Stucco-Lustro in oil, takes place within the scope of the internship carried out at the Royal Riding Arena of the National Coach Museum (MNC). The neoclassical building designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Azzolini (1787), went through three phases, construction/use of the property, “Picadeiro” (1726 and 1766), “Picaria Real” c.1786 and “Museu dos Coches Reaes” c.1905. The execution of the painting, attributed to the painter Manuel José Rufino Pereira (1911-1912) corresponds to the Campaigns directed by Luciano Freire, as director of the National Coach Museum (dir.1910-1938), completing the project by Rosendo Carvalheira (1903-1904). The use of space and the natural aging of the building, especially the ascending infiltrations to which it was subjected, contributed to the poor state of conservation of the painting. The main anomalies are related to exposure to adverse conditions, of Tº and HR and sensitivity of the constituents of the work. As well as the function of the museum space, semi-open and thus subject to large hygrothermal fluctuations, responsible for biological contamination and surveys of the pictorial layer. The action of inadequate restorations, evident through large stains of repainting and leaching, denotes tampering with the aesthetic-philological respect for the work, causing visual noise in the appreciation of the painting. The historical and patrimonial value and poor state of conservation of the coating, justify the intervention of restoration and study of analysis and technical and material characterization, in the appreciation of alteration phenomena, through FTIR-ATR, XRF and OM. The analytical results, corroborating documentary records, date the work to the beginning of the 19th century. XX. The restoration intervention comprised: Pre-fixation of the pictorial layer; Solubility tests; Chemical and mechanical surface cleaning (eliminate overpainting, oxidized material, and dirt deposits); Gluing and filling cracks and gaps and volumetric reintegration at the support level (ornament); Chromatic reintegration; Punctual application of varnish as final protection. The implementation of conservative strategies made it possible to restore functionality and perpetuate in time, the legacy left by D. Amélia d'Orleães e Bragança.

Date of Award	25 Jan 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nuno Camarneiro (Supervisor), Eduarda Vieira (Co-Supervisor) & Nuno Augusto (Co-Supervisor)