Triton Fountain - Villa Masini Garden - Sansone Srl Restauro e Decorazione

TRITON FOUNTAIN – VILLA MASINI GARDEN

Period of the monument: 1923-1927

Place: Municipality of Montevarchi (AR)

Year of restoration: 2019

Category of works:OS2-A

Client: Private

Work performed: Cleaning consolidation and stone restoration of the Fountain of the Triton

◆ HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

The artifact, made in the first two decades of the twentieth century by local modeler Leopoldo Brandaglia, represents a triton from whose mouth flows a gush of water, which is collected in the semicircular basin below. The artifact is made of cement, modeled and reinforced by iron cores and it rests on the back side of the fencing wall. The sculpture is adorned with original limestone, inserted underneath and on the back of the mystical creature in imitation of a rock.

◆ CONSERVATION STATUS:

CONSERVATION STATUS

The surface was colonized by mosses, lichens, and numerous weeds that were particularly thriving between the interstices of the limestone and on the back of the sculpture. The roots of the weeds had made their way into the fractures of the cement of which the work is composed, causing gaps and material losses. The humidity, more present in the undercuts of the sculpture, had created incrustations of various thickness. There were visible traces of previous interventions of restoration, grouting and gluing of detached fragments.

INTERVENTION

After the ninety years since its construction, the fountain was in very critical condition regarding its stability and aesthetics. Therefore, the intervention of restoration had the objective to return solidity to the material of which the work was composed, in respect of its characteristics and aesthetic: cleaning allowed removal of mosses and lichens that disfigured the surface of the fountain and the green of the biological attacks was easily removed. The reconstructions were executed with color and grain similar to that of the original mortar. Following the restoration of the hydraulic system, today the Triton fountain is perfectly functional and with its jets of water it looks as it did when it was erected at the time.

◆ ELABORATION:

PHASES OF
RESTORATION:

Triton Fountain, Garden of Villa Masini, Montevarchi

Photographic documentation before the restoration and graphic mapping of the state of degradation.
Dusting and mechanical cleaning by means of brushes, synthetic sponges, and scalpels on the deposits of moss and lichens, until the complete removal of biological traces.
Removal of black crusts in the areas adjacent to the washed parts, with localized compresses of water and ammonium carbonate and with mechanical means, such as scalpels, chisels, or micro sandblasting machines. Particular attention given to the decorative elements.
Removal of previous interventions, considered unsuitable, that were applied in previous restorations with cement mortars, plaster and so on.
Cohesive consolidation to definitively re-establish the physical and mechanical characteristics of the work with the application of cement mortar on the surface, through brush impregnation or low pressure vaporization. In the points where the material was flaking, the consolidating agent was inserted by gravity. In the presence of swellings, a consolidating compound was injected to fill the void and to seal the flaking of the flakes.
Grouting to fill in the gaps and discontinuities present on the surface of the artificial stone, unify the surfaces and offer adequate resistance to the agents of decay. Also in cases of exfoliation, micro-cracks, and splintering, micro-stuccoing must be done to prevent or slow down the access of rainwater and/or atmospheric moisture absorption inside the degraded artificial stone.
Integration of decorative elements with low relief or missing portions and intervention on chromatic restoration with oxides and natural soils diluted in water, applied by brush.