The science of conservation and restoration provides the chance for society to enjoy various works of art for centuries.

As we celebrate Easter today different statues adorn our churches. However, variations in temperature and humidity provide optimum conditions for biological growths such as mould on works of art deterring from the artist’s original vision.

Conservator-restorers try to bring back the glory of different works of art that are significant to our history and culture. Works of art include statues, manuscripts and paintings.

Art conservators Valentina Lupo, Maria Grazia Zenzani and Simon Dimech are very passionate about “the preservation of our artistic heritage for all future generations to appreciate and enjoy”.

Some highlights in their portfolio include the conservation and restoration of the titular statue of St Helen pertaining to the Collegiate Basilica of Birkirkara, as well as the siculo-byzantinesque icon of Our Lady found in the Mellieħa Sanctuary.

Conservation is the first priority in professional restoration where the materials that are used and the environment that the work of art is in are assessed. Maltese restorers collaborate and consult with local and foreign institutes to perform the scientific analysis.

When conserving the image of Our Lady, scientific investigations were carried out including the use of innovative dielectric spectroscopy applied to conservation in order to locate uneven areas with a high rate of humidity and presence of salts.

This project, inaugurated in June 2016, took three years to finish and was a challenging task due to its advanced state of degradation. This is because the image was painted on rock as well as because of previous past restoration interventions that were not compatible to the painting.

Scientific investigation is crucial to verify the state of degradation and non-destructive analysis is performed to gather information on the work of art.

The art-historical research gives insight on the creation and commission of the work of art as well as previous restoration interventions. Only after all the studies are done are the restorers able to carry out cleaning and other tests that the work of art requires. The materials used are specialised and certified.

Lupo highlights the importance of working closely with the public when restoring the pieces of art to their former glory, as there is a close connection for parishioners, especially titular statues. The inauguration ceremony presents an opportunity for the public to appreciate the work and detail that is involved.

The relationship with the art work goes beyond technical knowledge. The three conservators feel a sense of rgreat responsibility and privilege when working with masterpieces.

Did you know?

• A Lincolnshire carpenter, John Harrisons, is best known as the man who solved the problem of longitude.

• Cereal loses its crunchiness over a period of time as moisture increases, rather than instantly.

• Male sharks tend to be smaller than female sharks.

• Before toilet paper was invented, a roman philosopher Seneca used a sponge attached to a stick that served the purpose. This tool, tersorium, sat in a bucket of salt water or vinegar water.

For more trivia see: www.um.edu.mt/think

Sound bites

• The conservation of cultural heritage is of high priority to Unesco and other organisations where non-destructive methods are used to document monuments’ characteristics and assess their state of conservation. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR), a laser scanner and mathematical models technologies were used to benefit conservation of hidden Roman arches. The GPR is made up of an antenna which sends and receives short pulses, a control unit and a computer. The setup is used to collect data along the road of the bridge. Detailed plans and 3D models of the bridge can then be obtained. This has given vital information about structural and geometric details such as cracks in many of the constructions, including the Roman bridge of Segura. This technology has also assisted in detecting the remainders of a Renaissance engraving in one of the arches.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140312082633.htm

• The hundreds of iconic Moai statues stand testament to the once vibrant civilisation that lived on Easter Island. The evidence up till now has been limited, where prior sedimentary samples were used as historical records of environmental change and were incomplete. Rull and his collaborators shed some light on this civilisation using the latest analytical methods. The island’s population may have been influenced by the droughts and wet seasons. This resulted from the sedimentary samples that show a continuous record of the last 3,000 years. The droughts might have affected the native palm forests, potentially contributing to the island’s eventual deforestation. These findings suggest that there was not an island-wide abrupt cultural and ecological change before the European arrival in 1722.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/f-wrh040716.php

• For more soundbites listen to Radio Mocha on Radju Malta 2 every Monday at 1pm and Friday at 6pm.

https://www.facebook.com/RadioMochaMalta/

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