CASE STUDY FOR THE DECISION-MAKING IN THE RESTORATION OF A SACRED MUSEUM SCULPTURE

Abstract

This Communication addresses the decisions of the interventions that had been made on a sacred sculpture, of gilded and polychrome wood, in the Restoration Studio of the Museum of Sacred Art of the Federal University of Bahia. This study resulted in the final graduation work of a graduate student of the UFBA School of Fine Arts. Global examinations were performed, bibliographic review, discussions with professionals from the field, desk research, iconographic studies and constructive techniques, as well as the analysis of their conservation status. In addition to the irreversible damages caused by the mechanical removal of overlapping paintings, the image had painted eyes, despite the longitudinal cut on it’s face, typical for the placement of glass eyes. Another problem was referring to the left hand, since it was visible that it was a prosthesis compared to the right hand. Being a museal piece, the interventions respected the historicity of the work, other aspects interfered with the restoration performed.