Műtárgyvédelem, 2009 (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum)
Bakonyi Eszter - Erőss Dóra: Két aranyozott ötvösremek restaurálása
Bakonyi Eszter - Erőss Dóra • Két aranyozott ötvösremek restaurálása Conservation of two gilded goldsmith’s masterpiece Eszter Bakonyi — Dóra Erőss The study describes the conservation of two fire-gilded goldsmith’s masterpiece. The preservation of the intact gilding on their surfaces raised an ethical dilemma. A compromise had to be reached between the static and aesthetic restoration and the demand that the treatment should make as little damage in the gilding of the surface as possible. The water consecrating cross probably from the 18th century (Serbian Orthodox Museum) was made from fire-gilded silver with a filigree technique and it contains a carved wooden crucifix. The object had fallen to pieces prior to the conservation, and it could not be reassembled. All the components of the filigree cross were incomplete and injured at several places. The other item was a sanctuary lamp (in the possession of the Museum of Applied Arts), which had been prepared after Imre Steindl’s designs in Gyula Jungfer’s workshop at the end of the 19th century. The analyses of the material demonstrated that the metal of the sanctuary lamp was red copper, and it was also fire-gilded. The suspension rods were broken, the basket that held the lamp was deformed and the ribbon ornament that held together the basket was broken. Several areas were missing from the object. The objects were disassembled before cleaning. After the removal of the pegs from the cross, the silver braches could be pulled down from the wooden crucifix, the cleaning of which needed great care because of the sophisticated carving. The deformations of the sanctuary lamp were readjusted with hard wood and iron tools formed to appropriate shapes. We found after chemical cleaning (a cleansing solution that contained citric acid and thiocarbamide) that the original gilding was preserved in an excellent condition on both objects. The missing areas were replaced by the same technique as the original. At the filigree cross, a microscope had to be used for the preparation of the tiny silver replacements and the shaping of the fracture surfaces that could be fit to the original ones. Red copper was used in the case of the sanctuary lamp. There was a technical consultation with other professionals on finding the best method of the fixing of the completions and the static consolidation of the objects so that the original gilding could be preserved as far as it was possible. A compromise solution was chosen in the case of the pedestalled cross. The statically important elements of the cross were silver brazed, while the ones that had to be restored only from an aesthetic aspect were glued back to their places. As brazing was used only where it was really necessary, the majority of the gilding remained intact and no posterior gilding was necessary. Finally, the carved crucifix was put back into the filigree cross. The broken parts of the sanctuary lamp were all silver brazed. This was the only solution for the static consolidation of the heavy object hanging from the fragile rods. 161
