Viewed from the floor of Room 16 of the National Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), the old painting’s condition doesn’t seem too dire. This is despite the havoc of photographic ill effects left by the flames that burned down the abbey of the Siena convent in 1936, not only scorching the roof but also destroying the nobility of the color of the murals. However, images taken from close up clearly revealed its weaknesses, including cracks, micro-eczema, peeling, and already completed peeling that exposed the previous layers. The museum’s technicians have identified around 700 of these important points in the 130 square meters of 12th-century frescoes in information sent to the court since they began cataloging them last June following the Supreme Court’s ruling forcing their return to Aragon.
Various reports analyzing the painting warn of the dangers of moving the Aragonese Romanesque jewel, given the delicacy of its condition. Speaking to EL PAÍS on condition of anonymity, a person familiar with the mural and a fan of the other two techniques was very graphic about the possible effects of moving the mural: His opinion clashes with that presented by the Aragonese government a week ago. Aragon’s government defended itself a week ago by saying the transfers could be made “without any special risks,” that “the condition of the paintings is very stable and very similar to the originals,” and that “the canvases on which they are placed do not present a significant risk for their transfer,” said Pedro Oroqui, the government’s general secretary for culture. However, a report by the International Center for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties (Ikkrom) recommends a “thorough assessment” before relocation, warning that “paintings are susceptible to further deterioration, especially if there is a change in the environment or physical disturbance (shock, vibration).”
MNAC remains unyielding and insists it will not be transferred, as indicated by an order from the judge in charge of enforcing the judgment last week indicating its intention to “substantially comply” with the judgment. There is growing pessimism among a small group dedicated to preserving Catalonia’s cultural heritage. They take for granted irreparable damage to the structure, which combines traces of the original painting, in fact a thin layer of 0.3-0.5 millimeters, and a reproduction of the parts that could not be saved, which the Goodiol brothers created to make the work comprehensible to the untrained eye. Days after the Siena lawsuit, Pere Rovira, an engineer at the Center for the Restoration of Catalan Property, warned that the move could result in losses of up to 20% on construction work. So far, no one else has dared to make a similar assessment of the damage. However, all known technical reports to date have warned that a detailed risk analysis must be carried out before proceeding with the transfer of this cultural property, which has been given a higher degree of protection by the Ministry of Education, which has not prepared an independent investigation into whether to carry out the sentence.
Neither the Aragonese government nor MNAC, which is in charge of the construction, have explained how the demolition will proceed. Oroki announced that the team plans to move it to Aragon by dividing it into 72 pieces, the largest of which was just over 3 meters long. This is a number of ceilings that use technology to recreate the aggressive paint stripping that took place during the middle of the Civil War. strap. In the 40s and 50s, they were installed in the current ceiling, the missing parts were repainted, and in 1995 they were permanently installed in room 16 of the museum, where they are now on display. However, this fragmentation is not so simple. Each side is a puzzle, in the case of the five arches a triple puzzle consisting of two voussoirs and intrados.
When engineers have to start dismantling the mural, they will have to cut around 40 border areas filled with plaster that join the various soffit and wall surfaces with internal doses. As with all delicate work, it must be done with a scalpel, perhaps using a new blade for each piece, and careful not to tear the fragile centuries-old fabric with the paint residue. There are two risks to the initial surgery. The first is unknown. Whether the stucco you are removing is installed over the original paint, and if so, whether it will be dragged along as it is removed. The other is facilitated by the image created. The areas where the painting swells and comes off the fabric and need to be cut will remain in the air when cut.
Once you have made these cuts you will need to loosen the existing bolts on the back. And then there’s probably the other most delicate thing to do. It’s the support nail for the frame. Most of them are hidden behind paint and often require a magnet to detect them. Given that it is impossible to take them out from the sides of the picture, they will need to be sawed from the back side. Some of the sources we consulted mention more than 5,000 tips. The same thing happens with some bars that join a pair of voussoirs from behind, which also needs to go through the saw. This mechanical work creates vibrations, additional stresses on the work, and repeats the tension once the ceiling is completely separated from its surroundings.
Considering the risk of paint deposition due to vibrations, 700 weak points considered to be the most important had to be reinforced with protective strips before work could begin, as expert Simona Sajeva explains in detail in this video. Experts describe it as a cocktail of paints (flour paste on wood, on top of which are two pieces of coarse fabric used in the 1940s, a layer of caseinate, the original paint and the remains of the glue used in the paint). strap The soluble adhesive that must be used to attach the protective strips complicates the choice due to possible side effects. Cracked recreations with Gudiol plaster (35% of the works) have a high ability to absorb moisture, which makes this choice even more difficult and requires consideration of the long term.
Three experts consulted explained that technicians undertaking these jobs face an unknown world. Unexpected problems may occur when entering the elevator or work area. There are no previous references cited as examples. No other work has changed the dimensions of Sigena’s paintings, no other work has the physical and chemical conditions that the flames left behind an amalgam of 800 years of life, reacting actively to environmental changes, temperature and above all humidity.
In a report sent to the judge, MNAC considered that all this work would require 29 weeks (including other diagnostic and tender work, a total calendar of 18 months is planned). Aragon believes all work can be completed within seven months, but it is unclear whether these deadlines are even possible. “This is all an illusion,” sums up one of the sources consulted about the demolition work, incredulously. Each shipment departing from MNAC must be accompanied by a detailed report on the condition of each work, signed by representatives from the Catalan Museum and the Aragonese government, and will be reanalyzed once it arrives by truck at its destination, 230 kilometers away. Then redo what you undone and restore it to its original state. If conditions permit.
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