MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART raisons techniques ou politiques qui sous- qui politiques ou techniques raisons Lesd’abeille. nid en support un sur remonté puis renforcé, déposé, être dû a l’eau, à dus présentaitd’importantsqui tableaux, dégâts des Un discutés. sont outil cet de pratiques avantages Les Stavroudis. Chris par conçu modulaire nettoyage de Programme le par établis paramètres des selon nettoyées été ont peintures grandes ces de Deux Janeiro. de décoratif du Rio me de TheatroMunicipal conti (1866-1944) qui font partie du program à l’huile monumentales d’Eliseu d’Angelo Vis peintures quatre de d’exécutionles techniques et restauration la présente article Cet Résumé Brazilian painting. followers on late 19th- and early 20th-century their and Impressionists the of influence the understand help to and arrangement matic chro striking artist’s the decipher help to and binding characterization was carried out full technical examination, involving pigment A preservation. future proper to as tainties uncer the by theater,compounded portant im this of management ill past and neglect of history the to regard with discussed are reasonspolitical formeasuresextreme these and technical The support. honeycomb a on mounted and consolidated, wall, the from detached be to had and damage water sive are discussed. One painting presented exten tool this of virtues practical the and roudis Stav Chris by developed Program Cleaning Modular the by established parameters the using cleaned were paintings large these of TwoJaneiro. de Rio the do Municipal of Theatro scheme decorative the of part are that (1866–1944) Visconti d’Angelo Eliseu by paintings oil oversize four of techniques and conservation the presents paper This Abstr Modular CleaningProgram flage, Keywords: [email protected] Horizonte,Belo Lacicor/ Cecor/ EBA/UFMG L [email protected] deJaneiro,Rio Brazil Pontificia Universidade Catolica-Sao Paulo Humberto F. Car [email protected] deJaneiro,Rio Brazil Maria Cristina Graça [email protected] Niterói, Brazil Centro Culturais deBens deConservação Claudio Valério Teixeira [email protected] deJaneiro,Rio Brazil Universidade Federal deJaneiro/EBA doRio Edson Motta Jr.* uiz A.C. Souza pigments, a ct

ua paintings, mural brushwork, v alho marou colors, colors, ------*Author for correspondence [email protected] deJaneiro,Rio Brazil Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory COPPE/UFRJ Cristiane Calza in 1909, a major step forward for Rio’s academy-dominated arts scene. and 2) and were considered, at the time of the inauguration of the theater and mythological themes allegorical in a manner (Figure semi-pointillist 1 audience hall ( the of ceiling the decorate They Janeiro. de Rio do Municipal Theatro the of interior architectural lavish the of elements artistic important most The The artist andhism Bouguereau (1825–1905). At a later stage, he became strongly influenced artists such as Eugène Samuel and Grasset (1845–1917) William-Adolphe under worked he where Paris to moved he Brazil’ssalon, at prize main the winning after 1890). in Artes Belas de Nacional Escola (renamed Artes Belas de Imperial Academia the at painting studied He child. a as Visconti was born in in 1866 and emigrated to Brazil with his family A Dança Horas das Figure 1 marouflaged plafond oil on canvas wall paintings by Eliseu Visconti are the the are Visconti Eliseu by paintings wall canvas on oil )

as well as that of the grand lobby ( sterpi ex and te conser w marouflage monument Eliseu Visconti’s ce all p amin aintings: chnic va tion tion, context, al al

foyer ), representing 1 MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART principios delXX. y XIX siglo del finales de brasileña pintura la en seguidores sus y impresionistas los de influencia la entender a ayudar para y tista sorprendentecombinacióncromática ar del la descifrar a ayudar para aglutinante, del y pigmento del caracterización la incluía que turo. Se realizó un examen técnico completo, que haya una correcta en conservación el fu de incertidumbre la con exacerbado teatro, mala gestión en el pasado de este importante de y negligencia de historia la con relación en extremas medidas estas de políticas y cas técni razones las discuten Se honeycomb. de soporte un sobremontado y consolidado agua y tuvo que ser desprendido de la pared, al debidos daños grandes presentaba dros prácticas de esta herramienta. Uno de los cua por Chris Stavroudis, y se discuten las ventajas desarrolladoProgramaLimpieza de Modular utilizando los parámetros establecidos por el ro. Dos de estos grandes cuadros se limpiaron corativo del Teatro Municipal de Río de Janei (1866–1944), que son parte del esquema de d’AngeloEliseu Visconti de dimensiones des gran de óleo al cuadros cuatro de técnicas las y conservación la presenta artículo Este Resumen but du du fin la de brésiliennepeinture la impressionnistesdes sur disciples leurs de et l’influencecomprendre mieux de et l’artiste, de chromatique composition l’étonnante déchiffrer de tenter de afin effectué été a liants, des et pigments des caractérisation examenUn technique complet, incluant une adéquate. future préservation sa à liées des incertitu des par grevé important, théâtre ce caractérise qui gestion mauvaise de et négligence de l’historique avec relation en tendent ces mesures extrêmes sont discutées, x x e siècle. x i x e et dé et ------his Impressionistic manner flourished and became popular among artists artists among popular became and flourished manner Impressionistic his environment, tropical colorful its with Rio in Back (1860–1943). Martin as well as Guillaume Henri-Jean as such (1824–1898) Post-Impressionists and Impressionists Chavannes de Puvis Pierre Symbolist the by The hybrid character of character hybrid The The arts in Brazil. visual the of examples important most the among be to historians art by highlight of his artistic/decorative oeuvre and are unanimously considered with architects and builders. His paintings at the Theatro Municipal are the century, Visconti was commissioned with important projects in collaboration the re-building of the central areas of the city at the beginning of the 20th Rio’sofand reformlayout extensiveurban the During alike. critics and in all” (Cavalcanti 1997). two cylinders and the operation started from the center… we over were four rolled been had that canvas the hold to used was thick cm 2 batten a part upper the On effective. was of wall the to canvas operation large the the attaching (1916) January14th “On that show diary his in Notes these were rolled and shipped to where he supervised supervised he where Janeiro their de attachment to the Rio ceilings and walls to of the newly built opera shipped house. and rolled were these finished, When Paris. in built had he building large a in (1913–1915) lobby grand the for paintings three the and Neuilly-sur-Seine in widow Chavannes’de Puvis from rented studio a in and1907 1905 between a paint to plans his fitted commission in that Paris for a theater in Rio. technique He executed the painting mural only the was and Grasset, under France in studies his from paintings Visconti was certainly well aware of the trends and importance paste. white oil, lead an and of lithopone, composed fact in was purpose the shows for used Analysis adhesive 1997). the that (Cavalcanti quality” good of be to considered names brand the and barrels small in found be This kilograms. 250 at calculated be can paintings I that white deem Ceruse necessary for of the amount “The building: engineer new head the of the designer Passos, and Oliveira de Francisco Mr. to following the writes Visconti 1907, In shrinkage. canvas of danger present ever the of elimination the and slowly more dry to tendency a properties, handling andtack improved can were change this for reasons the thatspeculated it be and favored were pastes oil-based century, the19th in but 1984), the Historically, interiors. adhesive used was made from a architectural starch/animal glue mixture (Mora et al. decorating of purpose the walls to for adhered paintings canvas on other) (or oil as them describe to a from however, technique; mural a painting’s materials and methodsas viewpoint, it would be more accurate characterized be function, justly can it architectural/decorative the to given is emphasis If classify. marouflage te marouflage chnique marouflage of the Municipal Theater’s decorative decorative Theater’s of the Municipal wall painting makes it difficult to to difficult it makes painting wall conser monument te chnic va Beriot tion, context, and Eliseu Visconti’s w al ex al Ceruse all p and marouflage plafond amin 1 aintings: of decorative Lefevre marouflage white can can white tion frieze frieze

are are 2 2

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART A Dança Horas das Figure 3 A Musica Figure 2 , detail above the audience hall. The The iconography confident and fluid a with done are ribbons drapery,and flowers,of hair,detailsin of seen be can that result luminous his pictures” (Cavalcanti 1997). and fresh the is to This blended other. not and each juxtaposition by most. at obtained is three colors of values mixture For The around. all circulates air “The Toulouse: in capitol the for commissioned murals Martin’s Henri about writes artist the notebooks his in as paintings, French of influence the to back traced to reinforce the sensation of moving air, flow, and rhythm. This can be sinuously aligned are brushstrokes small These under-layer. colored skin small of light dots of myriad color, a usually light blue, which contrasted with the warm painted Visconti figures, modeled the of tones flesh line. blue cobalt chromatic intensely an with figures, some contours The inand, green viridian dark with delineatedstrongly are figures the of highlights. discrete towards progress as tones pinks flesh middle and lighter shades the in visible brownish remains a that tint with umber-like under-modeled monochromatically are composition The plane. shadows. bluish in night and dusk with colours, picture the warm across luminous in painted are hand hours daylight in representing segments hand dancing colors, light in painted figures, female elegant as convincingly very across comes – matter subject The composition, free of distortion, from any position in the hall. its in day of eternal and times repeating movement and its form different allows spectators to the see the to allegory an as described been has It figures surrounded by whitish veils. The composition of all pigmentsall of composition veils.The whitish by surrounded figures female of moving carousel bas-relief colored as a softly be can described the imbuing area, to area illusion visual The pattern. overall with a rhythmic dynamic, from composition varies this but field color direction each one in within flow These laid. are brushstrokes colored contrasting a light, unsaturated, primary hue among which fewer complementary/ green used to contour some of the figures. Each field of color exhibits All colors are mixed with white (mostly white lead) except the viridian lead and cobalt blue. white of blends are blues most and oxide chromium are greens Light was present. cadmium and in a white and lead few samples massicot with and red oxide iron composed are yellows Light red. and cadmium contain pinks white chromatic more lead of mixture a by obtained are pinks brushstrokescomposition.thelengththeeachareaofof varywith Off- and width The brushstrokes. mosaic-like superimposed occasionally and The flat and spatially shallow background is painted with defined, juxtaposed, plafond plafond painting

(Figure 3). 3). (Figure alla prima alla

is a gigantic oval canvas attached to the ceiling the to attached canvas oval gigantic a is A Dança das Horas das Dança A handling in a more direct depiction of the of depiction direct more a in handling

On the other hand, the representation representation the hand, other the On conser monument (The Dance of Hours) – Hours) of Dance (The te chnic va

All the figures of the the of figures the All tion, context, and Eliseu Visconti’s w al ex al all p marouflage amin aintings: 3 Over the the Over tion

3

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART A Musica Figure 4 , detail hues that prevail in some areas and transition smoothly towards other other towards smoothly transition and areas some in prevail that hues for the color scheme. The background is painted with under grounding a chromatic establishing of purpose the – serves strips central the for white and strips lateral the for – beige priming a colored painting The color scheme is similar to the one used in the the different planes (Figure 4). distinguish to hard is it areas some in and figures the onto overlaps often a with side‑by brushwork combined used on the are These strokes. and looserhandling ofthebackground incontrast tothemore mechanical dots diversified more and through effective diffuse brushwork applied over the figures in smaller use of pigments to produce saturation contrast prevails in all panels panels all in prevails contrast decorating the theater. saturation This produce to pigments. of pigments of properties use a optical the suggesting of drapery, knowledge and working areas good smoky of depiction the in scumbles delicate for used is pigment This composition. the throughout own its on used also was and paints most to added green was white zinc that chrome of shows analysis mixtures and light mostly are used adjacent colors The viridian. about and said be can same the and contrast lead white and massicot of with light chrome yellows, earth pinks contrast with ones vermillion Brushstrokes pinks, hues. chromatic less same to the next of used are pigments chromatic inspection: closer on out stands feature other One fields. chromatic adjacent (PLM) (Souza 2010). microscopy light polarized and (XRS), spectrometry fluorescence X-ray (FTIR), spectroscopy infrared transform by Fourier determined been has unlike the contour, brownish distinct a shows cases some in and darker painted is non-contrasting background. a against set figures isolated some for reserved was lines contour of use reinforcing their silhouette is absent from most of the the in composition circular his as The figures are monochromatically modeled much in the same manner theater’s the of one in high or balconies. center off is spectator the when even frieze-like oval the opposed as to glance, one in and below directly less or more viewpoint a from appreciated be fully be only may can It which setting. architectural iconography, its to and related composition in complex more be to differs from the previous in commission many subtle ways. It is conceived of form and decorative composition. The main central panel, reflect a certain degree of change in Visconti’s approach to the rendering three The The foyer plafond foyer murals were painted ten years after the after years ten painted were murals painting, 5 plafond A Musica

The tangible edge of each modeled figure figure modeled each of edge tangible The painting that can be seen effectively effectively seen be can that painting plafond, plafond blends background and foreground conser monument . The background treatment treatment background . The but the chromatic outline outline chromatic the but te chnic va tion, context, and Eliseu Visconti’s plafond w foyer al ex al all p marouflage amin figures aintings: plafond but in this this in but ‑ A Música, saturated tion . 4 and and

The 4

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART A Dança Horas das Figure 6 O Drama Figure 5 – before detail conservation, , duringcleaning Both paintings in the auditorium had gathered a considerable amount of of amount considerable a gathered had auditorium the in paintings Both Plafond C On the other hand, two of the three large paintings decorating the The monumental showed no signs of failing. the and attached well was however, layer, paint The uneven. and gray considerably becoming soot, and dust unsightly under vacuum. The decision to adhere these paintings on such alien alien nature such on technical the as concern of degree paintings some with taken was these supports adhere to decision The vacuum. under and cleaning of the reverse, consolidation After layer. paint the to risk minimum with wall the from canvas adhered precariously the remove to was purpose the as technique was used, with care being taken not to use contacting adhesives, wall. the from mechanically detachedand faced heavily water-damaged were two paintings These 5). (Figure composition chromatic repaints disfiguring the appearance of what was intended to be a light and and darkened varnishes, thick yellowed with over-cleaning, ill conceived, were which of some conservation, at attempts by followed were events decade no and years passed without a the major disaster. It goes without throughout saying that most of itself these repeated pattern This large in areas. loss paint and delamination extensive as well as wall the from canvas the of detachment consequent with cohesion, lose to plaster sand andwallsleak,soakingcopperthecovered thetoroof conservation dates back to the 1930s, when intense tropical rains caused Drama Foyer reads as a unified and convincing whole. as the image necessary deemed was - no in-painting support of the textile now – due more perceptible to are canvas the probably darkening adhered the painting to its former intensely colored beauty. restored Although the joins in and the safe, and thorough, straightforward, was cleaning The between collaboration Richard the Wolbers and the Getty Conservation Institute. of offspring new innovative an is and way, in gels, or systems solvent a and water-based solvents, systematic rational paint the from dust and surface; soot it was developed of to help conservators clean painted removal surfaces with the for combination suitable most the choosing of complexities the through expeditiously and safely developed by Chris Stavroudis (Figure 6). The program guided conservators Program Cleaning Modular the using out carried were tests of series a after painting, the of surface the on deposited soot the and grime tenacious cleaning for best deemed was combination This acid. amino)acetic sodium citrate, buffered to a suitable pH with Bicine (2-(Bis(2-hydroxyethyl) ondition andtrea and A Arte Lirica, plafond painting was cleaned with a 1% aqueous solution of O Drama were in very bad condition. The history of their tment 6 A variation of the traditional the of variation A was mounted on honeycomb panels,

conser monument te chnic va tion, context, and marouflage Eliseu Visconti’s w al ex al

all p causing the lime/causingthe marouflage amin aintings: adhesive tion foyer, O strappo strappo

5

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART O Drama Figure 8 O Drama Figure 7 , backinsitu conservation , after mitigated by the acknowledgement that the flat, rigid appearance of a of appearance marouflaged rigid flat, the that acknowledgement the by mitigated was and leaks roof future of risk real very the against weighed was this original the of administrative neglect), required greater structural intervention. This was intervention. structural greater required neglect), administrative to be by likely future (and flaws by architectural and threatened damaged man, and the elements. Two of the paintings in the water of history no time, by untouched almost remain had and minimally treated were damage, which auditorium, the in paintings large The two presents paper This to housed in paintings approaches different similar the same environment. work. art important an of survival long-term assure to taken be to have measures extreme which in occasions many are there possible, as long as for object the of state original help the preserve that procedures technical all encompasses conservation Although C simple a very convincing. was niches gesso-framed as appearance their and their procedure in panels the Re-installing – the result was that of a saturated, yet unvarnished paint surface. gloss of level right the ascertain to tested were proportions different more timeMS2Adiscardedeach to addedwas Whenresin ketonediluted – progressively and clear the and repeatedly solution of out decant to left was Varnish Mat Artists Newton and Winsor of agent flattening its to due choice properties. of optical outstanding resin the was resin MS2A of concentration 5% A by intent?) his was (as observing the gauged pristine state be of the paint surface could of the that sheen oily the characteristic and saturation color restore thin to a 7), necessary deemed was (Figure layer not varnish were paintings varnished be surviving to other his paintings of many the evidence and no intended is he that there writings Although Visconti’s in damage. water and treatments harsh uneven and their colors were distinctly under-saturated due to previous and rather extensive reconstructive inpainting, sensors embedded in the adhesive reached 65°C. After cleaning, filling, and 70°C around hovered layer paint the of surface the on Temperatures lamps. the heatsource tomove acrossthepainting, held under vacuum pressure. allowing legs, infra-red wheeled of by supported arrangement downwards, faced set lamps The closely a containing box metal activate the adhesive. To attach the canvas to the panel, a traversing heat source was used to in high-humidity environments. well quite performs adhesive this experience, authors’ the in and project of use in conservation. Water resistance was paramount in this specific decades four over of history and strength its to due chosen was adhesive panel. onclusion 7 Beva painting could be duplicated by mounting on a honeycomb a on honeycomb mounting by duplicated be could painting

371, a heat-activated polyethylene vinyl acetate-based acetate-based vinyl polyethylene heat-activated a 371, marouflage

This equipment was purpose-built from a 5m would be permanently altered. permanently be would

To render the surface semi-mat surface the render To marouflaged conser monument te 8 both paintings appeared wall paintings remains remains paintings wall chnic va tion, context, and foyer Eliseu Visconti’s plafond w al ex al all p that were badly badly were that marouflage amin aintings: (Figure

However, tion × 9

0.60 the the

8). 6

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART Acknowledgmnts historical the and aesthetic changes imposed upon the paintings. for concern active with done was and choice easy an not 6 5 4 3 2 1 Notes of the credit for the successful outcome. most deserves conservators dedicated twenty than more of team our finally,it. And against were odds all when even project, the backing in enthusiastic was Director, Municipal’s Theatro the Camuratti, Carla Ms. manuscripts. original artist’s the to access facilitating and support their for Visconti Tobias Mr. and Isabel Ms. to gratitude our extend also We obstacles. to be insurmountable appeared what and for braving place first Patricia Salles from Holos Consultoria for making the project possible in the and Ms. Scarabotolo, Ms. Penna, Beatriz Ms. thank The Christina authors rotundas do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. as e foyer do teto o decoram que Bernardelli Henrique e Visconti Eliseu de pinturas em C. Calza, Referncs EBA/UFRJ. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Janeiro. de Rio do Municipal Theatro o paraVisconti Eliseu de Ca – property of the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes. Ca 9 8 7

The oval canvas was originally divided and painted in eight separate segments. Their segments. separate eight in painted and divided originally was canvas oval The In a manuscript, the artist mentions using a “very absorbent” canvas and “Le Franc Franc “Le and canvas absorbent” “very a using mentions artist the manuscript, a In – murals these of One The paintings are installed 14 meters high and the theater’s fire brigade calculated that, and will form an efficient barrier in case of future infiltrations. to resin panels are water is impermeable totally that also the reassuring fibreglass/epoxy once they notified, could remove the in two paintings threatened hours. approximately It support with calcium caseinate. on a and mounted honeycomb campaign Tellechea Domingo conservation in a previous between lead and zinc whites. differences optical the of aware well been have must He study. to he which circles from created chromatic and charts color surviving the by seen be can as theory, color in burnt sienna, Lefranc decoration colors” (Cavalcanti 1997). colors. Franc decoration The is Poetic Inspiration painted as cameo using white lead and stand out as distinct shapes. ones from by the are color adjacent a that separated color them helps darker, contrasting Brecher (Cavalcanti 2002). dimensions and exact shape were calculated by the German mathematician, Mr. Stalen- but a variety of the fine arts” (Cavalcanti 1997). resulting surface would tend towards a mat sheen. paint to colors” decoration As noted above, the artist had trained under well-known artists in Paris and was interested Inpainting was accomplished with Golden MSA Conservation Colors. The unprimed canvas can be seen between brushstrokes and some chromatic fields of of fields chromatic some and brushstrokes between seen be can canvas unprimed The “Musical Inspiration is painted first in cameo (grisalle) with white and burnt sienna Le Le sienna burnt and white with (grisalle) cameo in first painted is Inspiration “Musical In In 1905 Visconti “The or arts writes: applied are decorative not minor, as is said, usually v v alcanti, A.M. alcanti, A.M. 2010. Relatório técnico da analise por fluorescência de raios-X realizada realizada raios-X de fluorescência por analise da técnico Relatório 1997. 2002. Entre a alegoria e o deleite visual: as pinturas decorativas A Arte Lirica AArte Translation of Eliseu Visconti’s of Eliseu Translation manuscripts miscellaneous A Musica A – was detached by the Argentine conservator Mr. conservator Argentine the by detached was – ; therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the the that assume to reasonable is it therefore, ; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. conser monument te chnic va tion, context, and Eliseu Visconti’s w al ex al all p marouflage Arte e Ensaios e Arte amin aintings: tion

9, 9, 7

MURALS, STONE, AND ROCK ART Gerais, CECOR\EBA, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. L.A.C., Souza, London: Butterworths. M www.talas-nyc.com New York, NY 10011-9257, USA Fl 5, 20 W 20th St Talas, Inc. acrylics) soluble spirit mineral with made paints (conservation Beva 371 & Golden MSA Conservation Colors www.barracudatec.com.br Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 22410-002, Brazil Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 414/1022 Barracuda Advanced Composits Honeycomb panels [email protected] Algarve, Portugal Lagoa, 8400-527 Urb Solfeiras- Lote 9, Carvoeiro Linden Chemicals MS2A (hydrogenized ketone resin) www.vetecquimica.com.br Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 22290-900, Brazil Av. Pastor Manoel de Souza, 1021, Xerém Vetec Química Fina Ltda Citric acid & Sodium Hydroxide www.sigmaaldrich.com São Paulo, SP, CEP 04795-100 Av. das Nações Unidas 23.043, Vila Almeida Sigma-Aldrich Brasil Ltda acid (2-(Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)acetic Bicine Ma ora terials list , P., L. M P.,L. , ora et al et , . 2010. and P.Phi Relatório de análises, de Relatório l i ppot . 1983. conser monument Universidade Federal de Minas Minas de Federal Universidade Conservation of wall paintings wall of Conservation te chnic va tion, context, and Eliseu Visconti’s w al ex al all p marouflage amin aintings: tion

8 .