Carlo Bugatti was the Patriarch of the Bugatti family, a talented functional object designer with Art Noveau roots and an eye for detail so intricate it dances between chaos and form. Writes John Lamm of The New York Times in 2004: “From furniture to painting to jewelry, he envisioned no definitive line between fine and applied art, resulting in refined designs with distinctively artistic characteristics. Allusions to various cultures and time periods make Bugatti’s pieces both historically referential and ground-breaking.” Carlo Bugatti’s son Ettore and grandson Jean would mold the family name into the automotive empire it first references today, but Carlo’s mastery paved the way for his family’s success.
A Bugatti plant stand was recently brought to The Center, showing damage and distortion from its years of functionality. Comprised of ebonized and inlaid wood, hammered copper designs, and painted vellum, the surprisingly large object had been exposed to water, exhibiting a layer of particulate film and scattered accretions, as well as water marks.
The plant stand prior to receiving treatment.
The water had caused the vellum to deteriorate and fall off or curl in places. The water had also caused the metal inlay and plating to oxidize and the base plate to corrode, and left marks on the wood. The decorative inlay had come loose, as well as the brass stringing.
The plant stand was disassembled to assess what needed to be done during treatment, and to organize all of the pieces for re-assembly later.
Our conservators certainly had their work cut out for them. The curling vellum needed to be flattened where possible or patched, and the deteriorated vellum (about 90% of the piece) needed to be replaced. Vellum, a fine parchment traditionally made from calf or goat skins, was for many years the default material for use in printing important manuscripts or documents. Many of Gutenberg's first Bibles, for instance, were printed on vellum, as were many illuminated manuscripts from the Medieval Era. Our conservators used goat skin for this project.
Fresh goat skin vellum to replace losses. The skin had to be straightened and stiffened prior to application.
The vellum was attached using rabbit skin glue. Rabbit skin glue is also called hide glue and is a general name for glue made by rendering an assortment of animal parts. It is a traditional glue used in the preparation of gesso, as a sealant (size) on canvas (and wood panels) underneath gesso, and as a glue in some bookmaking. Stronger than most modern adhesives, rabbit skin glue is used in traditional woodworking, gilding, and painting techniques. First soaked in water and then heated in a water bath, it is applied warm, and gels when left to cool. In woodworking, rabbit skin glue's solubility in water makes it reversible, while its "open time" allows for repositioning. In painting and gilding techniques, it is used both as a size for canvas and boards, in recipes to make traditional gesso, and in distemper paints.
Animal glues vary in strength, but rabbit skin glue usually offers the highest strength, viscosity, and elasticity. True rabbit skin glue tends to gel at lower temperatures, making it easier to use in gesso applications.
The intricate inlaid wooden pieces, before and after treatment.
Next, areas of repair were colored to match the original material, and loose areas of inlay and brass stringing were secured, replacing the missing areas. Mater marks were removed from the wooden decoration and revived using appropriate conservation techniques. The oxidation and corrosion from the metal decoration were removed, making it shine just as brightly as when it was first made. Finally, a protective layer of wax was applied to the surface to seal and preserve the work.
All of the conserved pieces prior to assembly.
The conserved plant stand is a beautiful thing to behold, the genius of its creator evident in its intricate detail and fine craftsmanship.
The fully conserved plant stand, assembled.
Sources:
