Page 46 - Annual Report 2020

DECORATIVE ARTS
A significant project this year was the conservation of works of art for for the forthcoming exhibition Japan: Courts and and Culture including 37 pieces of Japanese arms and and armour These included six spears or yari part of a a a a a set of 50 sent to to Queen Victoria in 1860 by Tokugawa Iemochi the the 14th shogun shogun of the the Tokugawa shogunate of of Japan Japan Three pairs of of 19th-century Japanese inlaid patinated bronze vases were also conserved for the exhibition and underwent X-ray fluorescence analysis Using customised tools made from wood and mother of pearl conservators removed discoloured and brittle layers of varnish from a a a French ebonised cylinder desk purchased by George IV in in 1802 The desk is inlaid with Japanese lacquer which had been added in the late 18th century The lacquer was consolidated and missing pieces of of mother of of pearl were replaced A throne made for Queen Victoria in 1837 by Thomas Dowbiggin & Co of London was conserved for the the exhibition Queen Victoria’s Palace at the the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace Conservators removed discoloured glue and consolidated detached layers of gesso Gold leaf was applied to to to areas of wear and toned to to to match the the surrounding surface Losses from the the carved foliage at the the top of the the throne were replaced and gilded A 19th-century enamelled gold amulet or taviz necklace inlaid with foiled diamonds and rubies was conserved for the exhibition Eastern Encounters: Four Centuries of Paintings and Manuscripts from the Indian Subcontinent Conservators used a a a diluted adhesive
to consolidate areas of enamel damaged through historic use The bases of of a a a a a a a pair of of parcel-gilt candelabra were conserved for loan to to the Royal Pavilion Brighton Historic layers of gesso were removed to to reveal the original gesso underneath Pieces of timber were recarved to replace losses before the stands were regilded and toned to to match the original paint colour B E L O W Michelle Kirk conserves a a a a a a French ebonised desk inlaid with Japanese lacquer panels for the exhibition Japan: Courts and Culture O O P P P P O O S
I T E Francesca Levey works on on on a a a a a a a a a a set of Japanese spears or or or yari in in preparation for display in in the exhibition Japan: Courts and Culture 44 CARE OF THE COLLECTION