Salve Regina

Giambettino Cignaroli Mural Conservation (1735) – Ochre Court, Newport

(Project Manager and Lead Conservator, executed with John Canning Co.)

Challenge

The primary challenge was stabilizing a relocated 1735 Venetian marouflage mural by Giambettino Cignaroli, which had suffered from water infiltration, failing adhesive layers, and severe paint flaking inside the Ochre Court ballroom. Additionally, the conservation effort had to address a complex history of structural and compositional alterations made over the centuries to fit the artwork into its new Gilded Age architectural space.

Technical Solution

A systematic approach was taken to address both the structural failures of the marouflage and the aesthetic degradation of the paint layer:

• Cleaning and Varnish Removal: The mural was meticulously surface cleaned and the yellowed varnish was removed, a critical step that fully revealed the true extent of the historical interventions and alterations the artwork had undergone.

• Stabilization and Reattachment: Critical structural issues were resolved by stabilizing all flaking paint and securely reattaching areas of canvas delamination back to the ceiling substrate.

• Infilling and Isolation: All areas of loss were carefully infilled to restore the surface level. An isolating varnish was then applied to consolidate the piece and safely separate the original 18th-century work from modern restoration materials.

• Aesthetic Reintegration: The mural was precisely inpainted to seamlessly match the original work, followed by the application of a final varnish to ensure a visually homogenous and protective aesthetic finish.

The Result and Images

The comprehensive treatment successfully rescued this historic Venetian masterpiece from ongoing deterioration. By stabilizing the canvas, mitigating water damage, and carefully integrating the areas of loss, the mural's structural integrity and aesthetic cohesion were restored, preserving a unique intersection of 18th-century European art and American Gilded Age architecture.

Before photo of mural

Mapping

Flaking paint

Picture ouline original mural and its additional work

Cleaning test

Canvas reattachment

Mural during varnish removal

Mural during varnish removal

Detail during varnish removal

Detail after varnsih removal and infilling

Mural after infilling

Mural after

“All work accomplished follows the Secretary of the Interior”s “Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties” and the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works (AIC) standards