Gentile Monument

PROJECT CASE STUDY

October, 2010

Artwork: Gentile Monument- Lakeview Cemetery; Cleveland, Ohio

Artist: Jay Hall Carpenter

Medium: Silicone Bronze, cast by NewArts Foundry, Baltimore, MD

Size: APPROX. 5'5”, less stone base
Owner/Client: D. Kaufman

Contract: Cleaning & Waxing

DESCRIPTION of RECEIVED CONDITION (photos): 

    The Gentile Monument was in better condition than expected; it had not been cleaned or waxed for some time.

    There were a few areas of stripped wax/discoloration mostly on the right arm, left hip, stomach, and forehead.  In these areas, slight solar bleaching/discoloration was underway. Areas with the wax retained had a “wet” look, giving the work an overall slightly patchy presentation.

    Surprisingly, oxidized discoloration (bluing/greening) was only minimal, most notably a patch on the head/hairline. An overall greening/darkening of the patina & bronze can be detected but this is normal with age/maturing of the copper elements in the bronze alloy.

    Several bird droppings, were found but no discernible acidic damage to coating or patina was present.  The more “natural” sculptural elements, i.e. the flowers and leaves housed multiple spider webs and lairs.  Also, cut grass filled a large number of nooks.

  

    The most surprising aspect of the original condition was a large lump of mud completely filling one of the daffodils. Other areas of mud were found glued to the base in the same general area. A lawnmower is the suspected culprit (considering all the cut grass) but no muddy areas are close to the monument.

    There were several areas of large crusted and peeling bits of wax found on the back of the head/hair. This is presumably due to the difficulty of reaching the area/texture of the sculpture during previous waxing.  A few small pock holes also had a wax build-up.
    The cast looks flawless, with no noticeable seams or joints. Even with all of the organic elements, the sculpture seems to drain well and has no real problem of rainwater “pooling.”

    All stone elements seem to be completely sealed with no cracks, rainwater running stains, or discoloration on the stones or on/under the cut-writing.

WORK PERFORMED:

    Due to the large amount of organic material found on the sculpture, a significant amount of time had to be spent gently removing all the material before washing could take place. Removal was done by soft hogs-hair bristle brushes with the ferrules tapped and clean cotton cloths.
    The monument was then washed from head to base using only tap water and a soft sponge. No detergents or soaps of any kind were used.  The mud stuck in the daffodil was gently removed using a blunted pick which was taped to avoid scratching.  The mud glued to the nearby base was removed using q-tips and water.

    The entire sculpture was washed again, mainly due to the copious amounts of organic compounds and the infinite nooks and crannies to hide them.

    The monument was then wiped down with clean and dry cotton cloths. All pooling water was soaked up, any remaining dirt/organic matter was removed. This proved to be one of the most time-consuming aspects since many of the floral elements retain small amounts of water naturally.

    The sculpture was then allowed to air-dry for approximately one hour. A mostly-sunny and breezy day with temperatures of about 65 degrees, allowed for a thorough drying time.

    Trewax (canuba-based) was then applied using new, clean bristle brushes with the ferrules taped.

    All excess wax was then removed using clean cotton cloths, All areas were then buffed to a shine using new clean cotton cloths.  After waxing, a reassessment of possible problem areas/inconsistencies was undertaken and dealt with to make sure the finish of the sculpture was as clean and consistent as possible.

DESCRIPTION of CONCLUDED CONDITION: 

    The results of the above-performed work were immediately discernible:

1. The Gentile monument appeared to be cleaner and much more consistent in texture.
2. The oxidation on the head was much less pronounced.
3. The areas with mud were clean and matched the rest of the sculpture.
4. The patina, while not manipulated directly, appeared to be much less patchy and more unified in its health and sheen. 

Photography even proved to be more difficult because of color bounce from surrounding areas and objects.

RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: 

    Like most silicone bronze sculptures in this type of climate, it is recommended that the monument be cleaned and waxed twice a year. The extremes of weather in the Eastern-Ohio/Great Lakes area, much like the Mid-Atlantic region easily takes a toll on the object.  Furthermore, in this particular case, weather extremes coupled with the huge amount of direct sunlight beating down on the sculpture dictates that a consistent, clean, replenished coat of wax protect both the patina and the bronze itself.
    No structural or contextual changes or adjustment is needed.
    I was pleasantly surprised at how well the sculptor handled the form of the piece, not allowing water a comfortable place to sit and erode. There are scores of organic elements to the piece which will retain some amount of water/debris which in time will affect coloring/patina, however, these changes are expected to appear natural and intended.

    Furthermore, with the close inspection allowed during the cleaning process, it seemed clear that although there were a few surface pocks, the overall cast of the sculpture was consistent, and free of any discernible seams or cracks.

    At present, no re-patination seems to be needed, although it is recommended that an eye be kept on the solar bleaching (should be minimized by a consistent program of waxing), and the small areas of discoloration on the head.

WORK PERFORMED BY:

    Matthew Duffy, 10/17/10