Hotel Mia Cara
Conservation treatment was carried out on a fresco at Hotel Mia Cara depicting three figures: a nun, a saint, and a nobleman in gilded armour. The work presented a range of condition issues including surface soiling, fragile paint layers, and deterioration of the plaster support.
Surface cleaning was performed using ammonium carbonate poultices, with pre-consolidation applied where necessary to stabilise vulnerable areas before cleaning could proceed. The gilded elements of the nobleman's armour required selective treatment to avoid abrasion of the metal surface.
Deteriorated and detaching plaster was removed and replaced with lime-based fills, restoring structural stability to the wall surface and providing a sound foundation for the paint layer above.
Conservation Methodology
A systematic survey of the wall surfaces recorded areas of loss, active detachment, soiling, and prior intervention before any treatment began.
Surface deposits and soiling were removed using controlled cleaning methods. Test areas determined the most appropriate materials before full treatment.
Detaching and vulnerable paint areas were consolidated by injection and facing, securing the paint layer against further loss.
Full documentation of the treatment, including condition survey findings, cleaning and consolidation methods, materials used, and photographic records of each stage.