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In
the course of conserving the carved and
decorative stonework of the Doge's Palace,
much has been learned not only about its
history but also about preservation techniques.
The Fund's connection with the Doge's Palace
began in 1975 when the Headley Trust offered
a substantial sum to be spent through the
Fund on a repair project, and the Porta
della Carta was chosen from among the Superintendency's
recommendations. This principal ceremonial
entrance to the Palace functioned in the
15th century as a muniment tower, or possibly
as a clerks' office -either of which could
have given it its name 'the Paper Gate'.
Rebuilding at the Palace was decided upon
when Francesco Foscari became doge in 1423;
the contract for the Porta della Carta was
signed in 1438 by Giovanni and Bartolomeo
Bon, the architect-sculptors, and Filippo
Calendario the builder. The polychrome stone
decoration of the gate is one of the last
and most Bamboyant examples of the Venetian
Gothic style before it was superseded by
that of the Renaissance. Foscari's policy
of making Venice the dominant power both
at sea and on the mainland is illustrated
explicitly in the sculpture, Venice being
identified with justice and virtue, and
the Doge being represented kneeling before
the symbols of St Mark and of Venice. The
sculpture was smashed by French soldiers
in 1797, only Foscari's portrait head being
spared. By the time the Palace underwent
its major restoration of 1879-83 (when the
doge and lion group was reconstructed) photographs
show the stonework to be blackened and crumbling;
and so it remained for another century.
In the 1880s many of the weaker carved stones
were taken down and copied, and in 1966-71
the four marble figures of the Virtues were
removed to the Museo dell'Opera for restoration.
In the Fund's conservation work of 1976-79,
thanks to the Victoria and Albert Museum's
earlier experience at the Loggetta, efforts
were made to conserve damaged stones in
situ.
Deterioration of their surfaces due to sulphation,
algae and other causes was hideous; the
Carrara and Greek marbles had suffered more
than the red Verona and white Istrian stone.
Black incrustations were softened by bio-packs
for a month, revealing traces of colour
and gilding on the Bon sculptures. More
delicate residual cleaning was done with
a new aero-abrasive device, and the statues
were reinforced and protected against further
erosion by impregnation with a silicone
resin, using a vacuum process specially
adapted for external surfaces. Finally a
reversible protective skin of resin and
wax was applied. The cost slightly exceeded
the sum offered, even though scaffolding
and services were supplied by the Doge's
Palace administration; but our own benefactor
willingly accepted the increased figures.
In 1994 the director of the Doge's Palace
approached Venice in Peril again, for help
with the 14th- and 15th-century capitals
from the colonnade facing the Bacino and
the Piazzetta, one of which is dated 1344.
These had been taken down during the repairs
of the 1880s and placed in the Museo dell'Opera;
casts of them taken at the urging of Ruskin
have been stored at the Victoria and Albert
Museum since 1916. The thirteen capitals
and columns from the lower ßoor have
been restored, revealing superb carved detail,
and they now form the centrepiece of a display
in the Palace's new ground floor museum.
PORTA DELLA CARTA
DIRECTION OF WORKS: Superintendency for
the Environmental and Architectural Heritage
CONSERVATORS
Stonework: Kenneth and Giulia Hempel and
six Italian trainees
Architect: Giorgio Bellavitis
CAPITALS
DIRECTION OF WORKS: Superintendency for
the Artistic and Historical Heritage
CONSERVATORS: Ottorino Nonfarmale |
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