statues and sculptures

Placing outside pieces in a protected area away from any water that might drip from a tree is one technique to help avoid corrosion and damage to statues and sculpture. Additionally, precautions should be made to protect them against lichen, mould, and algae, which grow more easily in our northern climate. Stonework can crack or break in extremely cold temperatures as a result of the moisture it absorbs expanding and contracting.

Unwise attempts to clean stone can, sadly, cause irreparable damage to some of it. For instance, limestone, sandstone, and coadestone all have a worn crust that, if removed, reveals a weak, crumbling surface below. If the surface is hard and smooth, you can lightly rinse it down before using a soft brush to remove any loose dirt. By brushing sound surfaces with a solution of one teaspoon of dichlorophen to one pint of water, which is available from most excellent garden shops, it is possible to remove algae and lichen that cause no harm.

Alabaster, marble, bronze, and other metals are frequently used in indoor sculpture.

If the value of the object is to be maintained, major repairs or the restoration of stonework should always be handled by a competent professional. Bronze statues with a rich, greenish-brown patina should be conserved since it is extremely valuable. On any bronze items, avoid using water, solvents, or metal polish. To maintain them clean and retain their worth, simple dusting will do.

Bronze plague, or microscopic powdery green spots on the surface, can appear on archaeological bronzes or objects that have been exposed to saline air. Serious cases should be brought to an expert conservator or restorer for specialised care.

Spelter is more brittle and softer than bronze, and it is also more susceptible to corrosion that is difficult to stop. It's crucial to hold figures made of this material at their most sturdy point because they are sometimes lightly cast and delicate. Use a soft-haired artist's brush to sparingly dust painted or gilded spelter figures.

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