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Why was the project necessary? |
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Descriptive report on the finalised project
In the early 1960s, the Chapel underwent
radical restoration work, on the building itself and on the interior
wall decorations.
In spite of this, less than ten years after the work was completed,
the wall paintings by Giotto and other anonymous maestros began
to show obvious signs of deterioration.
The Central Institute for Restoration was given the task of finding
out the causes of the decay and coming up with possible remedies.
The Institute, in collaboration with various research bodies (CNR
laboratories, Fisbat in Bologna, CNR Institute of Chemistry and
Technology of Radio-elements in Padua, CNR Centre for the study
of art works in Rome, the Institute of General Chemistry at Venice
University) therefore carried out a number of surveys between 1977
and 1979, aimed at discovering the causes and the mechanism behind
the deterioration, in the light of research into the overall conservation
history.
Investigations were carried out into the atmospheric
pollutants, the thermodynamic exchanges between the frescoes and
their surroundings, the temperature distribution on the painted
surfaces, the particles deposited on the surfaces, and the bio-deteriogens.
The main cause of deterioration turned out to be pollution, obviously
linked to factors of dust and dampness.
Appropriate remedies for making the building suitable for conserving
the wall paintings - put forward at the same time as the publication
of the survey results, in a volume of the special series of the
"Bollettino d'Arte" (Bulletin of Art) "Giotto in
Padua" (1982), by the then-director of the Institute, Urbani
- were made deliberately simple, according to his declared intention,
in order to ensure that they were as widely applicable as possible,
based on the criterion of gradualness.
The following suggestions were made: 1) to screen and increase the
insulation of the windows, and to plant tall trees, wherever possible,
near the right wall to prevent the direct rays of the sun from having
too much effect on the internal conditions; 2) to replace incandescent
light bulbs, which cause micro-turbulence, with bulbs emitting cool
light; 3) to close and insulate the main door, through which a lot
of dust and pollutants entered, and to re-open the left side door,
which had been sealed off for safety reasons after the collapse
of the adjacent Scrovegni Palazzo, and to set up an air-conditioned
reception area for visitors.
It was also pointed out that only after carrying out such steps
and checking that they were working as planned, would it be possible
to start the conservation and restoration work on the wall paintings.
The first steps were carried out rapidly by the City Council (except
for planting the trees which was considered impractical). But the
unique idea of a reception area, which would certainly have a marked
effect from the environmental point of view, had to be examined
more closely in terms of how it should be designed and constructed.
In addition, attention was focused on two other problems, the seriousness
of which had been underestimated previously: namely, the poor insulation
of the facade, and the atmospheric and environmental problems caused
by the uncontrolled flow of visitors (in numbers that were increasing
all the time).
As far as the facade was concerned, the choice was between "water-proofing"
by means of synthetic resins, and restoration using the traditional
treatment based on lime, traces of which had been found on the inner
surface of the crown arches.
Research carried out by ICR in collaboration with the local Superintendence
for the Cultural Heritage and the faculty of architecture at Venice
University, led to the discovery of traces of exterior wall paintings
on many buildings in Padua, of the same period as the Chapel. However,
this did not provide sufficient grounds to attempt a reconstruction
of the facade's original appearance or, even less so, of its later
appearance when it was decorated with "ridiculous plaster figures
in the 17th century Baroque style", in other words, the embellishment
that can be seen in a photo by Naya taken in 1867.
In the end, a less radical solution was chosen, respecting the history
and the present-day aspect of the Chapel. The sulphated mortar was
removed from the gaps between the bricks, consolidating what was
left and the bricks themselves, and then "pointing" the
wall surface with a specially prepared mortar which had been tested
out previously for composition, consistency, granularity, and colour.
Subsequently the wall surface was treated with a synthetic protective
coat which had been thoroughly tested and checked over the years.
Finally, the micro-climatic control unit (CTA), controlling visitor
access, was brought into action, a sort of multifunctional technological
"appendage" to the Chapel, set up near the new side entrance.
This unit is equipped with ventilation and other technical systems
to "capture" dust and pollutants, so that visitors are
"clean" when they enter the Chapel and in stable conditions
of moisture and body heat. The unit also enables the number of visitors
to be regulated to the ideal maximum of not more than 25 people
in the Chapel at a time.
In the meantime, other operations, studies, research
and surveys were being finalised.
Summarising the actions taken - the roof was renovated, the stone
decorations on the facade were restored, and the rainwater dispersion
system was improved for the Chapel itself and its surroundings.
As for other operations, a complete architectural survey of the
building was carried out (non-existent up till then), its static
structure was investigated, and a new system of lighting was designed.
Furthermore, it was necessary to take seasonal readings of environmental
parameters relating to temperature, humidity and the quality of
the air (before and after installation of the CTA to ensure continuous
monitoring of the conditions of the Chapel once the restoration
was complete) and to measure regularly the transfer of water vapour
between the wall paintings and the surroundings with which they
are in contact.
All these activities, designed and checked by a combined Commission
made up of representatives of the Padua City Council, of the two
local superintendents involved, and of ICR as scientific coordinator,
were funded by the Padua City Council, the owners of the building,
while the other activities listed below were planned and carried
out ICR with funding from the Ministry for the Cultural Heritage,
nearly always under direct administration and often as didactic
activities.
In-depth research was carried out into the state of sulphation in
the frescoes, and a method was devised for extracting soluble salts
from the paint film, after a series of tests conducted by restorers
and scientific experts.
From 1988 to 1992, systematic surveys were conducted on the state
of conservation of the painted decorations in the whole Chapel (including
the two areas adjacent to the presbytery), and the data were used
to build up a digital thematic map accompanied by photographic documentation
of a strictly technical nature (also using UV and IR techniques).
Urgent conservation work was carried out on the many areas where
the paint film had become almost detached and was about to fall
off (in particular, the part of the Last Judgement depicting the
Inferno, the painted panel depicting the Almighty entrusting Gabriel
with the mission of the Annunciation to Mary, the Mission of the
Annunciation, the Discussion with the Elders, the Ascent to Calvary,
Mary's Return Home, and later on, in areas of the wall paintings
where the adhesion between the supporting wall and the preparatory
layers was seriously endangered. In 1994, a sample area of the Mission
of the Annunciation was restored, with the aim of dealing with the
most difficult and complex situations as well as all the problems,
from the conservation and the "aesthetic" points of view,
that the forthcoming restoration of Giotto's frescoes had in store,
and of devising suitable methods to deal with them.
Previously (in addition to the restoration of the three statues
by Giovanni Pisano representing the Virgin and Child between two
angels) some of the most significant moments in the Chapel's conservation
history were reconstructed, in particular the work done by LeonettoTintori
in two different periods (1958 and 1961-63). This was conducted
by means of archive research involving direct comparison and recognition,
jointly carried out by art historians and scientific experts.
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