Conservators continue to clean the painted walls and ceiling of the Reception Suite, with its elaborate combinations of flat and molded plaster, canvas paintings and woodwork.
The paint is water-based, so no aqueous substances can be used in cleaning. As the conservators proceed with the careful dry cleaning process, using only vinyl erasers and synthetic sponges, the masterful
hand of artist Giuseppe Guidicini becomes more apparent with each layer of grime that conservators remove. For example, the image on the right shows small, iridescent bubbles blown by a cherub, which had been impossible to see previously. In a similar vein, the intricacy of Guidicini’s treatment of light and shade demonstated in the panels of painted imitation silk now reveals an almost sparkling shimmer after cleaning.
Stay tuned for updates as we near the next phase of the project, when conservators will seal the stabilized and cleaned surfaces and begin in-painting and toning specific areas that require extra attention.
