Műtárgyvédelem, 2009 (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum)
Csontos Katalin - Balla Gabriella - Bajnóczi Bernadett - Tóth Mária - Dobosi Gábor: Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni majolika tintatartója : anyagvizsgálati eredmények és a restaurálás folyamata
Csontos - Bal/a-Bajnóczi—Tóth—Dobosi • Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni majolika tintatartója Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni’s majolica inkstand: analytical results and conservation process Katalin Csontos — Gabriella Balia — Bernadett Bajnóczi — Mária Tóth - Gábor Dobosi Within the exhibition series of the year of the Renaissance organised in 2008, the Museum of Applied Arts presented the majolica art, the luxury industry of the 15th century Italy in an exhibition called “Beatrix’s dowry - Italian majolica art and King Matthias’ court”. The only sculpture in the round among the exhibited works of art came from the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts. It is of an eminent value owing to its topic, inscription, marking, function and quality. The multi-figural majolica statue prepared by Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni around 1510 probably in Colle Val d’Elsa-ban (Toscana) represents Jesus’birth and the adoration of the Magi. The work of art was thrown on a wheel from red clay, and individually shaped figures decorate it. Its yellowish white tin glaze is richly coloured with blue, green, ochre and brown. The object had several times been conserved but no documentation of them is known. The object to be conserved was well preserved but incomplete and dirty. At many places, it was glued, unauthentically completed (among others two of the Magi, and the larger part of Mary’s figure), and the completions totally covered the original surfaces. The analyses made prior to the conservation cleared the former uncertain determination of the object of art. The remains of oak-apple ink found in the vase-shaped small vessel on the right side justified the inkpot function. The production technol- ogy of the object could also be determined: the limy clay ceramic base was fired on a temperature of -850—900 °C, then it was covered with non-transparent white tin glaze and transparent lead enamel. Colouring materials characteristic of majolica were used for the painting applied between the two glaze layers. The second firing of the object could be carried out on a temperature between -700 °C and 900 °C. The analyses have also revealed that the former completions were applied in two phases; restoration with plaster covered with cold painting in various colours followed the completion made from ceramic material. The completions that covered the defective areas were prepared from poor quality ceramic fired on a temperature of 550-650 °C, which differed from the base material both in its material and its structure. The removal of the ceramic completions during the actual conservation process was justified from stylistic just as well as material aspects. After the cleaning of the object, the removal of the various completions and the wiring, the pieces of the pedestal were assembled, and then the pedestal and the basin were fit together. In lack of analogues, the three central figures (Mary and two Magi) were not completed. The missing elements of the animal figures (lions, a dog and a horse) were replaced with plaster mixed with Plextol prepared after the 81
