The restoration of Corpus Christi Altar Girona Cathedral allowed you to be seen Original “color explosion”., once the paint has been cleaned from the various passages drawn. one gastronomy which was carried out in two stages and is already approaching the home straight. In fact, it is expected that in a month and a half the chapel where the altarpiece is installed will be open to the public to enjoy a work that “returns”. value the heritage of the Cathedral”. One of the restorers, Idoia Tatull, explains that it is a “very lively” piece in terms of color and admits that after seeing this work of the French, they are still surprised by their companion when they spot him Cleaned by a painter who lived in Olot Perris de la Rocha
In a few weeks, the Chapel of Sant Francesc, which houses the Corpus Christi altarpiece of Girona Cathedral, will be open to the public. A fence is currently blocking the passage and has been since October. However, inside is the Idoia Tantull this day Laia Roca, the two monument restoration specialists and technicians who have been spending hours on the scaffolding that covers the altarpiece for several months. Step by step and meticulously clean the dirt Who took this piece carved by Joan Coll and painted by Perris de la Rocha in 1562. It was then placed in the Corpus Chapel next to the altar and the renovation project continued between the Chapter of the Cathedral and the Generalitat.
And what citizens will soon see will be an “explosion of colors” that will emerge and surprise the restaurateurs themselves. Tatull explains that there is a Renaissance paintings “very lively and spectacular”. “It comes out lilac, green, blue, yellow and orange. Many colors come out and the truth is that it is very interesting,” emphasizes Idòia.
She combs every corner of the altarpiece from the first floor of the scaffolding. The part of the paint you clean is the Representation of Holy Communion where Jesus and the apostles appear and the difference in liveliness between the clean and still dirty areas is “obvious”. Directly on the floor above the scaffolding is Laia Roca, who is dedicated to cleaning the upper part of the Rocha painting.
He recognizes that the process they are in now is “the most beautiful” since All the colors that were hidden come to light among the dust, dirt, mosquitoes and even wax accumulated over centuries into a painting that will “enhance the cathedral’s heritage.”
Roca points out that there was previously a long study and analysis process to find out which one it was most suitable technology in order to be able to carry out the cleaning safely without damaging “the picture elements” of the altarpiece. “It’s work and processes that you don’t see and that are just as important as what we’re doing now,” he emphasizes.
Solvent gel
Laia and Idòia clean the altar piece by piece. In this final phase they are already concentrating on the painting that thinks within it Holy Communion in the centre. The process of restoring colors occurs through the application of a solvent gel applied directly to the area to be cleaned. A few minutes later, the gel is removed with a cotton swab and the colors that were hidden under the layer of dirt are revealed. After all, the restaurateurs have just rinsed with special liquids.
“Before, you would see a darkened altarpiece and go from one color to another without noticing any difference, and now instead you see how it transitions from one to the other and the vibrancy they have. “So it would be nice to remove the scaffolding and bring back a photo of how it once was and what is left today,” emphasizes Laia.
