Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.17018/portal.2019.5
Conservation Principles in Practice: a Cabinet from Kaštel Lukšić
Davor Gazde
orcid.org/0000-0003-0220-7702
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Split Department for Conservation, Croatia
Abstract
This paper presents the conservation of a 17th century cabinet from the old parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kaštel Lukšić. In addition to the usual description of the work that is carried out, we have tried to explain why we had to re-examine our approach to valorisation of conservation and restoration. We tried to view this item not only in the context of conservation, restoration and art history, but also in a broader context, which has helped us identify clues and answers that are found on this item. No one can guess what questions will be asked in the future; and, with that in mind, we have devised a plan of reconstruction aimed at presenting the dual historical significance of this item. Furniture, perhaps unlike any other item, tells us about the lives of the people who used it, as well as the spaces in which it was placed.
The cabinet from Kaštel Lukšić is one of the most beautiful examples of secular wood carving in Dalmatia, and even Croatia. The architectural three-piece cabinet of monumental dimensions has a quality of workmanship that stands out because of its richly carved crown, which houses two stylized ‘mascaron’ faces along with acanthus leaves intertwined with spirals. It was made by an unknown master in mid 17th century. Originally, it had a secular character, but later it was converted into a sacristy cabinet. The cabinet was found in the sacristy of the old parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kaštel Lukšić, but this is not the cabinet’s original location. The text presents conservation and restoration that needed to reconcile, if we can say it in this manner, stability and presentability with maximum preservation of all historical layers. Considering the condition of the cabinet before conservation, as well as several layers of historical clues which we decided to preserve and present, this was no easy task. The development of the restoration concept is also described, as well as some thoughts of philosophers and conservation and restoration theorists who were of great importance to us as a kind of inspiration in the effort to make an optimal conservation-restoration valorisation.
Keywords
sacristy cabinet; Kaštel Lukšić; furniture conservation and restoration; cultural heritage; theory of conservation and restoration; furniture; cabinet
Hrčak ID:
231789
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2019.
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