This beautiful, incredibly detailed porcelain urn arrived at The Center with damage to its flower petals and ribbons, from the collection of Norm and Virginia Bobins. Norm is a treasured member of our Advisory Board, and the Bobins are both well versed in the art world. We knew we were conserving something special, and that we needed to work carefully to preserve all of this piece’s delicate details.
The front of the urn, before receiving treatment.
The back of the urn, before receiving treatment.
An urn is a vase typically with a footed pedestal, a rounded body and narrow neck, and a cover on top. Urns have been used for centuries for a variety of purposes: decoration, storing food, funerary purposes, brewing tea, storing cutlery, incorporated in furniture design, and much more. Though this piece doesn’t have a maker’s mark for identification, it’s of the Rococo style and used for decoration, possibly dated in the 1800s-1900s.
Rococo evolved from Baroque in early 18th century Paris, characterized by soft colors and curvy lines, depicting scenes of youth, love, nature, and light-hearted entertainment.
Salon de la princesse in typical Rococo style, Hôtel de Soubise, Paris. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
According to ArtNet, “After the death of Louis XIV, the French court moved from Versailles back to their old Parisian mansions, redecorating their homes using softer designs and more modest materials than that of the King’s grand baroque style. Instead of surrounding themselves with precious metals and rich colors, the French aristocracy now lived in intimate interiors made with stucco adornments, boiserie, and mirrored glass. This new style is characterized by its asymmetry, graceful curves, elegance, and the delightful new paintings of daily life and courtly love, which decorated the walls within these spaces.”
Jean Honoré Fragonard, La coquette fixée (The Fascinated Coquette), sold at Christie’s New York on Thursday, April 6, 2006
If you’re interested in learning more about Rococo style decorative arts, check out our Frames and Gilding Department to see their gilding work, an important decorative element of the period.
A 19-century Rococo-style mirror treated by our Frames and Gilding Department.
Josh McCauley, our Senior Conservator of Objects and Gilding, set to work. The surface of the urn was covered in a moderate layer of grime. A piece of the petal had been lost on the rose on top of the lid, with more losses to the petals, flower buds, and blue ribbons throughout. There was also a small amount of adhesive and sticker residue on the inside of the lid, perhaps from the urn’s time at auction before it was found by the Bobins.
The rosebud, missing a petal. Other small losses are visible as well — can you spot them?
First, the surface of the vase and lid were steam cleaned to remove surface dirt and grime. Steam cleaning is also an effective way to remove sticky residues.
A sculpted new petal, before inpainting to blend it with the rest of the flower.
Other areas of loss were also sculpted and replaced.
Next, petal and ribbon losses were sculpted and inpainted to match the existing surface as best as possible. This process entails making a mould of an undamaged element, then casting and creating a new piece to sculpt and attach as a replacement. When done correctly, voila! The repair is seamlessly hidden.
The rose petal, repaired.
We’re excited to return this whimsical piece to the Bobins, though we loved having it around our laboratories!
The front of the urn, after treatment.
The back of the urn, after treatment.
