Katharine Shulman
Abstract
Sculpted in 1778 by renowned French artist Jean Antoine Houdon, a plaster bust of Anne Robert Turgot has spent the majority of its life at the Art Institute of Chicago, tucked away and forgotten in storage, as it was considered to be in too poor condition for display.
Several other versions of this sculpture can be found in museums and private collections around the world; however, no two are exactly the same. They vary in medium – plaster, marble, and terracotta – and in level of detail in the clothing and cravat. Compared to the other examples, our sculpture was in poor condition. While the bust and painted base are structurally stable with no cracks or major losses, the surface had quite a lot going on. A thick layer of grime was present across the object and the bust was uneven in both color and gloss. Traces of dark brown paint, once applied overall to make the plaster mimic bronze, were present in crevices and interstices. Attempts to remove this paint were undertaken over the years by various conservators; however, none were successful. A note in the object file indicated that in 1964, the object was spray coated with polyvinyl acetate AYAA in toluene, and a glaze of oil paint was applied for toning purposes. This likely had the overall desired effect at the time, but over the years these materials darkened and discolored, causing the appearance of the object to diverge from the artist’s original vision.
The treatment objective was clear – reduce the grimy brown coloration and glossy surface, and create a more homogenous appearance overall, giving the object an aged but well cared for and exhibitable appearance. After extensive testing of aqueous, solvent and gel-based systems, a multi-step cleaning protocol employing ethanol and pH-adjusted EDTA agarose gel was used to remove all materials applied to the surface of the bust and its base.
While cleaning greatly improved the appearance of the bust, unfortunately, it highlighted large areas of loss on the base which needed to be addressed. Pressed for time and motivated to use something simple and easily reversible, mulberry paper fills toned with acrylics were used to mask the losses to the base. Other small losses and dark uneven areas that were unable to be sufficiently cleaned, were toned with Golden Pan Pastels.
This approach to treatment balanced stabilization with aesthetic reintegration, preserving evidence of the object’s material history, while improving legibility and visual coherence. The project highlights the complexities of treating plaster objects that retain vestiges of prior treatment, demonstrates the potential of gel-based cleaning systems for nuanced surface treatment, and highlights the use of cross-disciplinary materials for aesthetic integration. This approach and the conservator’s willingness and enthusiasm to tackle a challenging treatment allowed an important artwork, once relegated to and forgotten about in storage, to finally be shared with the public.