(PDF) Protect our European outdoor bronze monuments, Good Practice Guide, Culture 2000

PROTECT OUR EUROPEAN

OUTDOOR BRONZE

MONUMENTS

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE

Edited by Christian DEGRIGNY

PROTECT OUR EUROPEAN OUTDOOR BRONZE MONUMENTS

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE

Contents

Acknowledgements

Contributors

Foreword

(Greetings by the Mayor of Athens, Greetings by the Minister of Culture)???

Introduction Urban planning for the protection of outdoor monuments

CHAPTER 1 The meaning of outdoor bronze monuments to European citizens

1.1. Social and historical aspects

1.2. The Bronze monuments in Athens

1.3. Bronze sculptures in Göteborg – kings and fighters, water and shipping - donations and

the art for everybody

1.4. The importance of outdoor bronze monuments in Munich

CHAPTER 2 The construction of an outdoor bronze sculpture

2.1. The lost wax process

2.2. The sand-casting process

2.3. What is bronze?

2.4. What is patina?

CHAPTER 3 Deterioration of outdoor bronze monuments

3.1. General principles on the corrosion of copper based alloys

3.2. What factors affect the deterioration of outdoor bronze monuments?

3.3. Problems that face outdoor bronze monuments

CHAPTER 4 Conservation strategy

4.1. General approach

4.2. Case studies

CHAPTER 5 A maintenance plan

5.1. Athens experience

5.2. Göteborg experience

5.3 Munich experience

Conclusion

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

This Good Practice Guide presents three different approaches of the management, conservation and

maintenance of outdoor bronze monuments in Europe. Athens, Göteborg and Munich are European

cities facing different problems and through this project they have tried to gather their experiences

which are presented in the following pages. This project would not have been possible without the

financial support of the European Commission and both the editor and the authors are grateful to the

European Commission for its essential contribution.

One might be careful while writing such a document, especially when just a few countries are

represented. The future readers of this document will find some advices, interesting comments or

experiences and some kind of methodology on how to manage, conserve and maintain our outdoor

bronze sculptures. But these texts do not intend to give a common European approach.

To write and publish such a document in less than one year has been a challenge. I would like to

thank then all the authors for their major contribution. Most of them did not only write their

chapters but gave constructive comments on the whole document. Nevertheless to respect their

particular approach, their name has been left under their different texts.

Christian DEGRIGNY

5

Contributors

Zeta Antonopoulou: Archaeologist

Vasilike Argyropoulos: received a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto in

1988. She was awarded a Ph.D. in archaeological sciences from the University of Bradford in 1992. She has

conducted research in conservation science since 1993 at the Historic Resource Conservation Branch (Parks

Canada), the Canadian Conservation Institute, and Arc'Antique, Nantes (France). Presently she is an

assistant professor in metals conservation at the Technological Educational Institution (T.E.I.) of Athens.

Address: T.E.I. Athens, Dept. of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art, Ag. Spyridona, 122 10

Athens, Greece.

Dimitrios Charalambous:

Christian Degrigny: received a degree in electrochemical and electrometallurgical engineering from the

National Polytechnical Institute of Grenoble in 1985. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from

the University P. and M. Curie (Paris VI) in 1990. He has worked as a conservation scientist in different

conservation laboratories in France (EDF-Valectra, ART-Métal and Arc´Antique) and at the Australian War

Memorial. Since 1990 he has conducted research on corrosion problems and conservation treatments of

historical and archaeological aluminium, iron, copper, lead, tin and silver artefacts. Presently he is the Head

of the Conservation studies at EVTEK – Institute of Art and Design, Vantaa, Finland.

Address: EVTEK – Institute of Art and Design, Conservation Department, Lummetie 2, 01300 Vantaa,

Finland.

Anke Doktor: received a degree in chemistry from the University of Duisburg in 1998 focused on

Instrumental Analysis. Since 1999 she has been working as a chemist at the Bavarian State Department of

Historical Monuments within different national and international projects dealing with bronze and copper

restoration and conservation.

Address: Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, Hofgraben 4, 80539 München, Germany.

Vasilike Leontari:

Martin Mach: works as a chemist at the Bavarian State Department of Historical Monuments since 1984.

He has coordinated national and international projects on metal restoration and is editor/author of books and

lectures about bronze restoration and conservation science. He has managed and supported some major

restorations of outdoor bronze monuments in Germany.

Address: Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, Hofgraben 4, 80539 München, Germany.

Kate Ryffé: is working at the Parks and Landscape Administration in Göteborg at the Department

of Arrangements.

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Helena Strandberg: completed her education as an object conservator in 1986 in the Royal

Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark, and worked as archaeological conservator for some

years. She also holds a BSc in Chemistry and in 1997 she received a PhD in Environmental Science

from the University of Göteborg, Sweden, on her cross-disciplinary research on outdoor bronze

sculpture conservation. Presently, she is working as a freelancing conservator and scientist, in this

project for the Parks and Landscape Administration in Göteborg.

Helen Svenstam: is MSc in Landscape Architecture. She is Head of the Department of (Parks care

and handling??) at the Parks and Landscape Administration in Göteborg which also are responsible

for the care of outdoor art.

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Foreword

1/ Presentation of the European project and the consortium (co-ordinator and partners).

2/ For the GPG:

Our objective with this GPG is not to concentrate only on the problem of the conservation of

outdoor bronze monuments, their construction and their conservation. These subjects have indeed

been studied thoroughly and a huge literature already exists (see the bibliography given at the end

of the GPG). We want in addition to give other approach of these monuments that might be useful

to a larger public. Social and historical aspects are then developed and are illustrated with case

studies. We emphasise too the importance of management and maintenance of these monuments

which have essential consequences on their protection and conservation in the long term.

The three cities considered here are facing different degradation and conservation problems of their

outdoor bronze monuments. One of the major achievement of this project has been to compare the

conservation approaches of each city and to discuss about the maintenance programmes. These

experiences will be added data to the study of outdoor bronze monuments all around Europe and

might be used to define a proper management and maintenance policy.

We hope with that GPG to produce a document that will be of some use to the professionals who

have to deal with the conservation of outdoor bronze monuments. Of course it can be improved and

we would be interested in your different comments…

The contributors

8

Introduction

Urban planning for the protection of outdoor monuments

Managing our cultural heritage is a great responsibility. This responsibility goes along with the

obligation to preserve all monuments witnessing our civilization for the future generations. This

task requires knowledge, sensitivity, specialization, ability to co-operate and co-ordinate actions,

open mind and the existence of a powerful legislation providing for any intervention.

The role of the state

To begin with, as far as the role of the state is concerned, there is a major need to declare all

outdoor sculptures monuments. This assures their protection by a specific body and helps the public

to realize that they must respect them as if they were museum exhibits.

It is believed that all outdoor sculptures cannot be considered as monuments. At this point, an

important issue arises. It concerns the definition of a monument and the question whether it has to

be dissociated from the definition of a work of art. The philosophical aspect of this issue is yet

unresolved because opinions diverge about terminology. According to the definition that dominates

a monument is a witness of a civilization. So, outdoor sculptures can be undoubtedly considered as

monuments and not as objects just needing special care and protection.

The situation concerning the protection of outdoor monuments in Munich, Göteborg and Athens is

quite different. In the case of Athens, the majority of outdoor sculptures have not been declared as

monuments and consequently they are not protected by the law. The Traditional Buildings and

Monuments Division of the Municipality of Athens, responsible for this area for the last six years,

has always considered them as monuments representing art, Greek history and culture. They must

therefore be respected and all works have been carried out according to the rules of art and science.

However, their declaration as monuments is an issue which needs to be settled.

The role of the body responsible for the protection of monuments

Documentation

The documentation of monuments is of great help for those managing our cultural heritage. This

enlightens all aspects concerning art, the history which justifies the existence of the monument, the

artist and the entire construction. Documentation does not only involve the collection of information

about the past but it also registers and files all present interventions which will be evaluated at a

later date.

All data gathered from the documentation are stored in a database. To be more exact, this database

contains historic data, data concerning the location and the description of the monument, the

biography of both the sculptor and the person depicted, relevant bibliography, reports on former

maintenance works and expertise on the condition of the monument. It is enriched by photographs

belonging to archives as well as photographs taken during the maintenance or restoration works.

9

It is obvious that this information is useful for an art and history researcher as well as for an expert.

It also facilitates the work of the body managing the sculptures because it enables them to monitor

their present condition, to study and programme all required interventions and mostly evaluate the

results of previous works. All this represents the objective of the maintenance plan that must be

included in the annual technical programme of the body.

Evaluation

It is also necessary to evaluate all monuments, a task easily carried out thanks to processing the

above data. The evaluation consists in defining the values that envelop a monument. In other words,

it is about a theoretical approach that could play a significant role in planning the maintenance or

restoration of the monument in order to promote these values. The values and the systems of values

(historic, aesthetic and artistic values, the landmark value, the value of symbolism etc) cannot be

here analysed because they constitute the objective of a philosophical approach in the history of

maintenance.

Monuments and citizens, a relationship to be restored

Promoting these values contributes to restore the message conveyed by the outdoor monuments, to

realize their meaning for the city and its citizens as well as their role in civilization. It also

contributes to identify the person depicted and the reason for his or her commemoration in order not

to insult their memory by vandalism or other shameful actions. Revealing the message of the

monument sensitizes citizens and society as a whole and determines their attitude towards the works

of art.

This objective can be achieved through an effective educational system and through information

campaigns. They are the result of both state and individual concern. However, it is disappointing

that few citizens recognize the existing outdoor monuments, that they pass them by without noticing

them and that they look at them without really paying attention to them. This can be explained by

the:

 Lack of information

 Lack of signs

 Abandonment of the sculpture

 Inadequate cultural education

Great effort and real concern on the part of the state are needed in order to deal with all these

problems. Our suggestion concerns mostly the awakening of sensitivity and respect towards all

monuments witnessing our culture. Emphasis must be put on the most ductile and most sensible

social group: the children. The more they have an adequate approach to outdoor monuments, the

more we can hope for an appropriate future attitude. Educational institutions, teachers, parents,

bodies responsible for the protection of monuments, they must all motivate children, kindle their

imagination and talk to their soul. Educational programmes can take place at public places where

children can communicate with monuments and where many activities can be performed.

This perspective does not exclude adults from a sensitizing effort. This is possible by publishing a

maintenance study as well as all the issues arisen. It is also necessary to inform them about our

cultural wealth or launch a “protection campaign” which might cast publicity on this subject.

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Maintenance plan

Following the historic documentation, the study of values and the definition of the elements causing

damage/corrosion, the objectives of maintenance works must be planned according to the principles

of science on matters of cultural heritage. This planning is an attempt to eliminate the damaging

elements and assure future protection. This might involve a direct or an indirect maintenance

project. The former demands the intervention on the monument and the latter the elimination of

damaging elements without necessarily intervening on the monument.

Direct maintenance has mainly to do with the monument´s surrounding place. It is quite easy to

determine the damaging elements linked with the surrounding place of a monument and then to

eliminate them. For instance, if the monument is easily accessible and has therefore been

vandalised, measures must be taken to make access more difficult. This goal can be achieved by

means of more natural and ecological solutions such as surrounding the monument with wide but

short bushes. In case a monument has suffered irreparable damage due to pollution or poor quality

of the material used, the only way to protect it is to remove and replace it by a copy. Pigeons can

also cause damage by polluting and subsequently corroding the surface of bronzes.

It is necessary to emphasise the importance of the surrounding place of a monument for the

monument itself because they are strictly associated. There is a major need to protect the

surrounding place in order to promote the value of the work of art and not to condemn it. It is also

worthwhile mentioning the wrong choice of places to host outdoor monuments. The only criterion

for selecting the location of a monument is the decoration of a place. For Athens, this attitude also

explains the fact that monuments are mostly found in the city centre while the districts are lacking

of these monuments.

The direct maintenance, the planning, the carrying out as well as the supervision and the evaluation

of the entire project require the co-operation of many experts such as conservators, chemical

engineers, art historians, architects, civil engineers, etc. This co-operation is hard to be achieved if

the parties involved lack of maturity. A mature and responsible attitude can be often fostered by the

body entrusted with the protection of monuments.

According to all declarations for the protection of our cultural heritage, maintenance works consist

in an irreversible intervention. It is therefore advisable to carry out works that do not have quick,

impressive or radical results because they might cause immediate or long-term damage to the

monument’s surface. There is a whole procedure to respect and follow: cleaning, fixing,

maintaining, restoring and protecting the monument. This procedure is planned by experts and it is

obvious that it does not apply to all cases. Planning and documenting the works carried out, the tests

done and their results are necessary for both the maintenance project and its evaluation.

Most theoretical issues involve complementing the figure or the symbol represented in order to

render it recognisable and deciding on the restoration of damage representing the history of the

sculpture such as holes by bullets that mark many sculptures in Athens. Decisions on such issues

must be jointly taken and require adequate knowledge of the subject and all the qualities mentioned

at the beginning.

Following the completion of maintenance works, one question remains: What is to be done in the

future? An option is to wait until the monument suffers a new damage to take further action.

11

It is however better to plan a programme monitoring the current condition of monuments (which is

not difficult thanks to the existing data base) in order to make a report on it on a regular basis and

then plan further action. The implementation of this project is of major importance for managing

properly the monuments. Last but not least, all parties involved in the protection of our cultural

heritage must act with a sense of responsibility and moral obligation to both past and future.

By Zetta Antonopoulou

12

CHAPTER 1

The meaning of our outdoor bronze monuments to European citizens

1.1. Social and historical aspects

A sculpture represents a major expressive and creative way through which the feelings, the thoughts

and the concerns of an artist or a sponsor (like kings) are expressed

1

. At the same time people

understand the history by means of it. It consists one of the visual arts and it is therefore expressed

through the image, through what observers can see, through what the soul feels and perceives. The

result of an artist’s work, the sculpture, awakens various feelings to each one of us. Most observers

are satisfied by an aesthetic result belonging to the category of the “beautiful” and the “optimum”,

an admiration for giving shape to movements and sentiments, a result characterized as “three-

dimensional” and “spiritual”. The more the depiction is closer to reality, the more the public

understands it and feels awe. That’s presumably the reason for which the classical art principles

affected artistic expression regardless of the time period or the place.

1.1.a. Sculpture in public spaces

A sculpture becomes an art related to public when cities and generally organized societies are

formed. The sculptured work of art is no longer exclusively found in mansion gardens or royal

palaces; it is also placed at public places, it consists an element of the city, it belongs to the public.

It holds a monumental value, since it functions as an artistic creation commemorating events or

people. The work of art by itself or as a complement of a structure becomes a monument in

commemoration of a person, a historic or else event; it often expresses vanity or excessive egoism,

an idea or a political ideology. It undoubtedly shows the wish to familiarise future generations with

the history of their ancestors. It aims at preserving this witness to eternity. Many times it is simply a

reference, it plays a purely decorative role and the public simply admires it.

Creating and erecting a monument at a public place can be the result of an individual initiative, a

donation, or of a state concern, when the state wants to adorn the city and its buildings with

monumental or decorative sculptures. The monumental form or picture is and has been a part of the

methods for the official power to mark its influence and its connection to traditions. The public

spaces in cities accordingly have monuments placed as an indication that the power exists in the

public and daily life. Later in the 19th century the democratic ideas of the public art as an art

available to all people become significant. The art should belong to everybody and be the poetic

force in the society.

Outdoor monuments that are the subject of our study belong to the category of modern monuments.

They are associated with the urban development in Europe mostly in the 18th and the 19th centuries

based on the humanist values according to which the past must be commemorated and respected.

1

One of the German Kings (Ludwig I) e.g. had much influence on the patination of several sculptures.

13

1.1.b. Historical monuments

The monuments with historic value are usually found at places associated with the historic events

they represent (e.g. at the residence of the person depicted, in battlefields etc). They can also be

placed at a central point (a big square) sending out their message to all citizens. In Europe these

monuments mostly depict princes, kings, pontiffs, eminent figures. In the late 18th century and

mainly in the 19th century they at last depict men of letters and artists. Great historic deeds are

usually commemorated by architectural monuments such as columns and arches, which is not the

case for the 19th century Greece. In the 20th century, following the two World Wars, the need to

commemorate rises again. However, the types and the subjects of historic monuments have reached

saturation point.

The increase in the number of monuments and the exhaustion of subjects along with the historic

developments resulted in a range of new subjects inspired by the lower and humbler classes of

society. It is doubtful though that there is an intention to glorify humble people. The depiction of

everyday life is associated with more democratic societies. In this case, however, everyday life is

not awarded a historic or honorary value but an artistic and a rather decorative one.

1.1.c. Decorative monuments

The monuments of decorative character are placed in parks, big gardens, squares, avenues. They are

considered as autonomous, that is to be they are not the result of a commission limiting partly the

inspiration of the artist and they do not have a historic meaning. These monuments serve an

embellishment purpose and they are often combined with water (fountains and lakes). Adorning

gardens is an idea developed in the second half of the 16th century in Europe (Italy, France -

Versailles). This idea is materialized in the streets and the parks of the cities when open spaces

justifying or requiring a monument are designed. This tendency reaches its peak during the Rococo

and the Baroque periods.

If one wants to classify the outdoor monuments, the following categories exist: statues, equestrian

statues, busts, heroic monuments, free compositions, groups. As far as the material used is

concerned, the relevant categories include marble, stone, bronze, metal, glass etc.

Outdoor monuments have both a historic and an artistic character. The latter automatically places

them among the works of art. All works of art convey a message to us: it is the simple identification

of the figure or the event represented and commemorated. There is a need to keep the history

engraved in our memory, which is the initial objective of the creation of the sculpture.

1.1.d. The meaning of outdoor monuments

In addition, a considerable number of important information on civilization is gathered by observing

and studying sculptured monuments. This information involves the style, the medium and the

process of creation. This is an important material for studying the History of Art, the influences

interchanged among nations. It is really impressive the fact that art has no limits, that it assimilates

and expresses the qualities and characteristics of each culture. Significant information is also

collected about the techniques used for the creation of a sculpture, the marble-works, the foundries

as well as about the technology of media by studying the corrosion and the damage suffered due to

the exposure to the environment.

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In conclusion, monuments play a major role in the history of the city. In a matter of speaking, they

represent the history of a city since the citizens identify in them personalities, heroes, benefactors,

mythological and historical scenes, deeds of heroism. One can collect useful information by

studying their location in the town planning network, or touching information by studying details

such as the marks of bullets on many sculptures in Athens.

The outdoor monument represents for the majority of us an expression of art and civilization. By

observing the monuments of our city, a part of our everyday life, their grandeur will move us.

By Zetta Antonopoulou

1.2.The Bronze monuments in Athens

1.2.a. Historical basis

In 1830, Greece is recognized as an independent state.

2

This period signals the end of a long effort

aiming at liberating the country from the Turkish rule, finding its national identity as well as a place

among the other independent states of the West.A few years later in September of 1834 Athens

becomes the seat of the Greek monarchy and the capital of the independent Greek state.

3

Prince

Frederic Otto, second-born son of the Kind of Bavaria, Ludwig I , has been appointed as King of

Greece3. Otto’s arrival, and his staff, consisted of Bavarian scientists, is followed by a period

dedicated to the concern for the antiquities and the new artistic creation, thus achieving the

ideological support of the new state.

At that moment, the population of Athens is about 8000 people and a project regarding the building

of the capital is implemented. This project is based on the town planning network designed by

Stamatis Kleanthis (architect, Berlin’s Academy graduate) and his colleague Edouard Schaoumbert

focusing on the royal palace of king Otto.

In Athens flourishes the movement of neo-classicism.4 The newly built city mirrored the urban

architecture: public buildings of rare beauty and aesthetics illustrate this tendency. Moreover, these

buildings aim at endowing the city with a monumental character worthy of a glorious past, of Greek

antiquity. At the same time, there is a need for the city to resemble to other European cities.

1.2.b. The appearance of sculpture

As a consequence of the above, all kinds of arts bloomed including sculpture, an art promoting the

image of our country in exhibitions abroad and creating important and outstanding works of art.

2

Greece’s independency was recognized with the signing of the London’s protocol, in February 1830.

2 Nafplion had already been nominated as a temporary capital of Greece. Among the cities that have claimed for capital

(Athens, Corinth, Nafplio, Argos, Tripoli, Syros, Megara) Athens had a fair chance of winning due to its ancient glory.

An important factor that had also contributed to the selection of the city was that Athens had the favour of the Bavarian

King, Ludwig, Otto’s father.

3 By protocol in May 1832 in London.

4 The classicism, as a result of the movement of philhellenism and the tours in the Greek province, has already been

created, disseminated and prevailed throughout Europe and especially in Bavaria. After Otto and his staff , consisted of

Bavarian, was installed in Athens, German classicism was introduced and assimilated as revealed by the Athenian

public buildings designed by north European architects. As a result of this assimilation, we had the processing, the

adaptation to the Greek reality and, finally the differentiation from the west European prototypes. The neoclassicism in

Athens was characterized by the simplicity, the vividness and the fitting to the simple urban architecture.

15

Art is no longer exclusively present at private places (e.g. the residence of a wealthy bourgeois who

could afford the commission of a statue) but also at public places : squares, parks and avenues are

adorned with statues of various forms, sizes and subjects. Their creation results from state or

individual initiative and is part of a project to decorate the city. It is of great interest to observe

statues commemorating a person or an event that are not playing a simple decorative role. The first

sculptures meet this wish. The glorious past of the heroes of the Independence War, philhellenes or

benefactors constitute some of the favourite subjects. They also meet the need of the nation to show

their gratitude, to be inspired while continuing to struggle and hope. The statues of ancient gods are

lasting reminders of the grandeur of classical Athens and awaken in the soul of modern Greeks a

feeling of pride and superiority. As it is obvious, the power of sculpture is beyond a simple artistic

expression; it is a national need for memory and honour, need of national evolution.

At this point, we could not fail to mention a place where some of the most important outdoor

sculptures are on display: the First Cemetery of Athens (Fig. 1.1). This place helps us to observe the

evolution of art, its variety and the creations of some of the greatest artists. It also gives us the

opportunity to admire remarkable works of art.

Fig. 1.1.: The First Cemetery in Athens (general aspect). Credit Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional

Buildings and Monuments.

The sculptures in Athens are mainly made of marble. The clarity and the transparency of marble has

often been associated with the Greek light. Marble was particularly popular in antiquity and found

in abundance in the hills surrounding the city. It was easily quarried and processed by craftsmen.

Most of these craftsmen who settled and worked in the capital for many years, were from the island

of Tinos which had the longest tradition in plastic arts and marble-sculpture.

Bronze as a medium used by sculptors appeared many years later. The first sculpture was erected in

Athens in 1834 (the monument of the Holy Company of 1821)

4

while the first bronze monument

was the statue of general Theodoros Kolokotronis that was cast in 1900 and erected in the capital in

1904. The absence of bronze sculptures is due rather to practical reasons: the lack of foundries for

large constructions. A great quantity of bronze was needed for the construction of the Kolokotronis

statue in Nafplion (about 5 tons) which was found by melting gun fragments dating from the

Turkish invasion. The selection of these bronze pieces was made by Trikoupis, the then Minister of

War.

All the early bronze sculptures of Athens were made abroad by Greek sculptors or foreigners.

Lazaros Sohos for instance who worked the Kolokotronis statue lived in Paris from 1881 to 1901

and was particularly influenced by Marie-Jean-Antonin Mercié, one of the most eminent academic

sculptors of the time. The foundry where the statue was cast, was one of the best in Paris.

According to sources the majority of the most important statues of Paris were made there. It was

the Thiebaut Frères foundry housed at 33, Quessant street. Its name inscribed on the statue (actually

their name is associated with the name of their successor L. Gasne) and embossed on its base

confirms this information.

The name of foundries on many bronze sculptures gives important information on the history of art

and the history of a civilization which have both a local and an international character.In more

recent times, foundries operated in Greece but it appears that their operation will eventually stop.

The most important foundry where most bronze sculptures of the 20th century were made is the the

Army Foundry.

4

Γιαννουδάκη Τ. ,Τα υπαίθρια γλυπτά του Δήμου Αθηναίων 1832-1922,Μεταπτυχιακή εργασία,ΑΠΘ, 1994

16

Out of 220 sculptured monuments in Athens, the bronze ones (63 registered until now) represent a

percentage of about 30%. Most of them have been made during the last years. Nowadays, artists

prefer metal possibly because it is in abundance and more resistant than marble to pollution and

environmental conditions.

Art passed through many phases following the major historic moments of the nation before ending

up in a polymorphism, in the freedom and the variety of the media used.The sculptures cast in

bronze are mostly equestrian statues [T. Kolokotronis, King Constantine, (Fig. 1.2) Georgios

Karaiskakis], statues [K. Palaiologos, (Fig. 1.3) Archbishop Damaskinos, O. Elytis etc], free

compositions– inspired by the Greek mythology- [Theseus saving Hippodameian (Fig. 1.4)],

modern creations [such as the monuments commemorating respectively the Air Force soldiers fell

on the field of honour and the National Reconciliation(fig. 1.5)], lamp-posts (adorned with

cupids)(Fig. 1.6), busts [Christophoros Nezer, Dominikos Theotokopoulos (Fig. 1.7), Athanasios

Lefkaditis etc].

Fig. 1.2.: Equestrian statue of King Constantine at Pedion tou Areos.It was made in Italy , by the architect Taetriani

and the sculptor Parisi, and was erected in 1938. Credit Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings

and Monuments.

Fig. 1.3.: Statue of Constantine Paleologos IA’ , at Mitropoleos square.It was made by Sp. Goggakis at 1989. Credit

Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings and Monuments.

Fig. 1.4.: Theseus saving Hippodameian at Victoria’s square, by the German sculptor Joh. Pfuhl,in Berlin at

1906,donated at the Municipality of Athens at 1927. It was erected at Syntagma square at first. At 1938 it was

transferred at its present location. Credit Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings and Monuments.

Fig. 1.5.: Lamp-post in Kypseli, made by A.Durenne in Paris,end of 19th century-beginning of the 20th. Credit

Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings and Monuments.

Fig. 1.6.: Monument of the National Reconciliation at Klafthmonos square,made by Doropoulos Vassilis at 1988.

Credit Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings and Monuments.

Fig. 1.7.: Bust of Dominikos Theotokopoulos at Akadimias street,center of Athens,made by kostas Valsamis in Paris. It

was erected at 1990. Credit Municipality of Athens, Department of Traditional Buildings and Monuments.

It is easy to understand that outdoor bronze sculptures in Athens, even if fewer than the marble

ones, give us a wide range of information on the artistic tradition,their construction, the history of

the city while representing monumental creations of incomparable art and beauty.

By Zetta Antonopoulou

1.3. Bronze sculptures in Göteborg – kings and fighters, water and shipping - donations and

the art for everybody

Göteborg - a city with the population of 500.000 habitants – is situated at the West coast of Sweden.

The proximity to the sea and the harbour are some of the characteristic features of the city. Today, it

has as many as 600 artworks. Monuments, sculptures, busts and fountains embellish streets, squares

and parks both in the city and in the suburbs. Among the outdoor artworks, bronze is the dominant

material category presenting 200 of the sculptures in the city. Other material of sculptures during

the 19th century is e.g. granite, iron, zinc and in few cases marble. Since the second part of the 20th

century, concrete, enamel, wood, glass, and plastic have also became common materials for outdoor

sculptures.

From a historical perspective, Göteborg, founded in 1623, has statues dating back to the middle of

the 19th century, the oldest statue in bronze being the monument of the king Gustav II Adolf from

1854 (Fig. 1.8). Only a dozen of the bronze sculptures were inaugurated before the 1920’s.

17

Accordingly, most artworks in Göteborg are modern and have been erected after the 1950’s when

the art was brought out to the people on the streets in Sweden.

Figure 1.8.: Gustav II Adolf standing highly erected pointing at the ground of Göteborg that he founded in 1623. This is

the first bronze monument in the city and was cast in 1854. The monument was made by the sculptor Bengt Erland

Fogelberg (1786-1854).

1.3.a. Water, shipping and trade

Something that people often remembers after visiting big cities is the sculptures. They are on post

cards and as pictures in the visitors’ mind. Those who have visited Göteborg probably will

remember the large bronze sculpture Poseidon surrounded by sparkling water cascades in a fountain

located in the middle of the place Götaplatsen (Fig. 1.9). Both the place and the artwork are

monumental. In the background the immense façade of the Museum of Art is built in the austere

style of the 1920’s. Poseidon is created by Carl Milles (1875-1955), a Swedish sculptor with

worldwide fame. Characteristic for Milles is the classical motifs often taken from the mythology.

The powerful Poseidon, 7 m high, has become a profile for the city of Göteborg situated at the

waterfront.

Figure 1.9.: The Poseidon fountain by Carl Milles (1875-1955) was erected 1921-31.Credit?

The first sculpture of a woman in public space surmounting a fountain in central Göteborg had the

French name “La Semeuse” (Fig. 1.10). The artwork is from 1883 and was inaugurated on the day

of Johanna after which the sculpture in popular speech was named “Johanna”.

Figure 1.10.: “La Semeuse” from 1883 by Per Hasselberg is the first sculpture of a woman in the city.Credit?

Particularly the water, shipping and trade are the theme in many of the public decorations in

Göteborg. Here are the Tritons, nymphs, ships, waves, fishes etc. Also the seaman’s wife waiting at

the shore – a sculpture placed on a campanile highly erected above the sea in Göteborg harbour.

One group of sculptures placed in the square Järntorget also turn the minds to water and the trade

ways linking countries together (Fig. 1.11). The fountain Järntorgsbrunnen was created as a

memory of iron-cargo shipped to countries far away. The five women placed on the rim of the

fountain symbolize the five parts of the world. Another monument recalling the wide world, in this

case America is the Delaware monument on the pier in the harbour.

Figure 1.11.: In the fountain “Järntorgsbrunnen” (inaugurated 1927) by Tore Strindberg the five women are

symbolizing the five parts of the world where the iron-cargo were shipped to from Göteborg harbour.Credit?

Sculptures of younger date, from 1990’s, are the two lions lying on granite bases on both sides of

the Lion stairs in central town, guarding the western sea entrance to the city. Another modern figure

in the city centre is “The Neck is playing”. The evil spirit of the water is both beautiful and

dangerous and with the music of his violin he is seducing and drowning people in the water.

1.3.b. The men and female characters

In Göteborg, as in most places in the world, art in public space has been created to embellish cities

and celebrate the memory of persons or events. It also gives patrons of the arts a possibility to leave

behind something of long-lasting value. So did also Charles Felix Lindberg, a tradesman who at the

turn of the century donated large amounts to the decoration and embellishment of the city of

Göteborg. His money still today is used for the decoration of the public space. Many of the

18

sculptures that have been created by these donations are in the city centre. Several of the older ones,

from the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century have the characters of

national romanticism. They are figurative and often represent famous men of the country. Others

are monumental, figuring kings and mythical shapes. Some sculptures are also women, in most

cases featuring nature as “The spring”, “The haze”, “Summer”, “Flora” and others (See Fig. 4 ? of

the Haze).

1.3.c. Kings and fighters

One expression of the political power is the statue from 1854 figuring the Swedish king Gustav II

Adolf standing highly erected pointing at the ground of the city he founded 200 years earlier (Fig. 1.

8). The square where he is placed is named after the king and is Göteborg’s official centre. An

additional statue mediating the power is “Karl IX”, a Swedish king riding on his horse. Nobody

could imagine at the grand inauguration in 1904 that the artwork should later be named “The copper

mare” and become one of the popular meeting places in the city. “The knife-wrestlers” is another

historical sculpture that have given name on the park where it is placed (See fig 4.??). The motif is

Old Norse depicting two young fighters strapped together with a belt, fighting a violent life-and-

death struggle.

1.3.d. Unobtrusive and in a class by itself

If you ask to the citizens of Göteborg what sculpture they like most, many would answer ”Karin

Boye”, a figure of one of our well-known poets in simple summer-dress viewing the largest

commercial street in Göteborg (Fig. 1.12). The figure is unobtrusive, loved and also cared for. Often

fresh flowers are slipped into her small hands of bronze. “Karin Boye”, inaugurated in the middle of

the 1980’s was the first named statue of a well-known woman placed in Göteborg.

Figure 1.12.: The bronze sculpture of “Karin Boye”, a well-known Swedish poet, is loved and cared for (by Peter Linde

1984).Credit?

1.3.e. Forming the place for everybody

Many sculptures created in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s are in the local centres of the suburbs.

Decisive for these art projects were the expansive house-building and the one-percentage-rule

demanding that one percentage of the costs for new buildings should be invested in the public

embellishment. One characteristic feature for the late public art is that it is an integrated part of the

environment. Another is the democratic idea of public art as an art available to all people. The art

should belong to everybody and be the poetic force in society.

One good example where the sculpture forms the place is the “Reclining figure” by Henry Moore,

an abstract piece of art from the 1960’s that enriches the large central park Slottskogen (Fig. 1.13).

Sculptures in Göteborg today mainly associate to modern ones. Several artworks have been shown

in Park exhibitions with the aim to give guidance in looking at art and to reach a wider audience –

which also have been successful.

Figure 1.13.: “Reclining figure” by Henry Moore (cast 1961) in the large central park “Slottskogen”.

By Kate Ryffé and Helena Strandberg

1.4. The importance of outdoor bronze monuments in Munich

19

There is a considerable number of Outdoor bronze monuments in Munich. At least ten of them can

be dated back to the time before 1800. Among this oldest group are also complex monuments, such

as the Wittelsbacherbrunnen consisting of many individual figures and ornamental parts and the

famous Mariensäule (Marian column) with a gilded bronze Madonna on top of the column as well

as four groups of Putti fighting evil forces.

At least thirty life-sized or more than life-sized outdoor monuments date back to the 19th century,

among them we find such prominent objects as the Bavaria monument and a bronze lions’ quadriga

5 m in height (Fig. 1.14). The most famous bronze monument in Munich is the so-called Bavaria, a

personification of the Bavarian state (Fig. 1.15).

Figure 1.14.: Close-up of 5m high lions´quadriga on top of the Siegestor, by Johann Halbig, unveiled in 1852. Picture

before restoration by the Municipality of Munich in 1996-97. Credit Bavarian State Department of Historical

Monuments.

Figure 1.15.: The Bavaria Monument, by Ludwig Schwanthaler (1850) in front of the Hall of Fame, height of the bronze

figure 18 meters. Visitors can walk up inside to the head and have a look around through three small windows on top of

the head. Credit Bavarian State Department of Historical Monuments.

This gigantic bronze sculpture was designed by Leo von Klenze as the architect and Ludwig

Schwanthaler as the artist. It was unveiled in 1850 by Ferdinand von Miller who had established the

Royal Bavarian Bronze Foundry in 1824. For the largest piece, the upper part of the body, about 25

metric tons of bronze had to be melted. The overall weight of the bronze parts of the Bavaria is

about 70 tons. In comparison the typical weight of a 3 m bronze statue is usually in the range of

about only 2 tons. Visitors can enter the Bavaria through a bronze door at the back of the stone base

and climb up to the head via a flight of winding stairs. There are two “bronze cushion“ seats inside

the head where visitors can sit down and have a look at the Theresienwiese area (the place of the

annual Oktoberfest). Even today the Bavaria is among the biggest bronze monuments worldwide

and one of the very few that can be studied from the inside.

Around the middle of the 19th century a new generation of monuments was devoted to famous

citizens like the founder of the Munich optical industry Fraunhofer (Fig. 1.16), to Schelling the

philosopher and to Count Rumford (Fig. 1.17), an ingenious multi-talented man who worked on

thermodynamics as well as on city park design and the improvement of the nutrition of the poor.

20

Figure 1.16.: Fraunhofer Monument, by Johan Halbig, unveiled in 1868, after restoration in 1998. The restoration was

funded by the Rotary Club München. Credit Sachers.

Figure. 1.17.: Count Rumford Monument, by Kaspar Zumbusch, unveiled in 1867, after restoration in 1998. The

restoration was funded by the Rotary Club München. Credit Sachers.

Though the monuments are an important part of the townscape many citizens are not really aware of

their presence and significance. Of course tourists take typical photographic snapshots in front of

the monuments e.g. with the family standing on the base of the monument for King Max Joseph I

(Fig. 1.18) in front of the opera, with the hands on the bronze lions’ legs. There is also an old saying

that rubbing the nose of the small lions’ heads in front of the Residence will provide a certain

wealth for the person who does it.

Figure 1.18.: Monument for King Max I. Joseph, by Christian Daniel Rauch, unveiled in 1835, before restoration by the

Municipality of Munich (1988). Credit Bavarian State Department of Historical Monuments.

Only great changes like restorations or the absence of a monument will be noticed by newspapers

and people passing by, thus giving back some of the lost attention to the monument. Recent and

present restorations, e.g. those of the Mariensäule and of the Bavaria have brought back a great part

of the public interest. It was a big and positive surprise that a 45 minutes television documentary on

the history of the Bavaria monument was able to compete with soap operas on other TV channels.

By Anke Doktor and Martin Mach

21

CHAPTER 2

The construction of an outdoor bronze sculpture

Before dealing with degradation and conservation aspects of bronze monuments, it is essential to

know how these monuments were constructed. It is the aim of this chapter to give some general

ideas on the subject and more particularly on the bronze sculpture which is the most complex part.

Since ancient times people have been forming metals and creating bronze sculptures. The processes

for bronze casting have improved throughout the centuries in Europe but even today the skills of

ancient Chinese foundry men have been unsurpassed. In most countries the so-called lost-wax

process was the first attempt to solve complex casting tasks. In the 19th century the different

variants of the sand-casting process became familiar, in particular for very large monuments. But

they did not completely replace the lost-wax process. A further process, by which metal sculptures

were created, was established in the middle of the 19th century: it was called electrotyping (a

procedure which forms a metal layer by means of galvanic deposition). Typical electrotype

sculptures consist of a layer of pure copper that has a similar outer appearance as bronze. As they

are sometimes misinterpreted as bronze sculptures, they should be mentioned here as an aside.

Though many modern variants of bronze casting were established in the technical field, bronze

sculptures have been cast through centuries either by means of the classical lost-wax process or by

means of the sand forming process.

2.1. The lost-wax process

Figure 2.1. shows this most familiar process for artistic casting. The lost-wax process is based on a

negative form of the original sculpture. The form is made out of plaster which is covered on the

inside by a wax layer of approximately 0.5-1 cm thickness. In a second step the space inside the

plaster form behind the wax layer is totally filled with clay mixture on an iron armature to support

the structure. The resulting wax layer is a very thin layer between the plaster negative and the

clay/brick core. Afterwards the plaster negative will be removed and fine details can be added to the

wax surface. The entrance tubes for the molten bronze are formed out of wax and joined to the wax

surface. After that the whole casting form is covered by several layers of complex clay-based

mixtures. Core pins help to fix the distance between the casting core and the outer form. Heat is

applied to melt the wax and create a hollow space for the metal. When all the wax has flown out of

the form, the inner and outer casting form will be heated before the molten metal is cast in. This

burning process will stabilise the casting form chemically and mechanically so that it will not be

cracked during the casting process. At last the molten metal is poured through the tubes into the

hollow space between the inner and outer form.

The lost-wax process is expensive, laborious and risky. A minor defect in the construction of the

mould might endanger the whole procedure.

22

Figure 2.1.: The lost-wax process. Yellow: Heated wax flowing out of the form. Red: Hollow space left by the lost wax

for the bronze. Blue: Trapped air within the form must escape by means of special vents. From Boffrand, Paris 1743.

2.2. The sand-casting process

In the 19th century most bronze monuments were cast by means of the sand forming process. The

forming material for the outer form and the core consists of sand. Before the casting the clay form

has to be heated until there is no more water in it. If there is only a minute amount of water the

molten metal flowing into the form would create steam that might burst the form within seconds.

Normal sand without any binder would disintegrate during the drying into single grains, but a

comparatively small amount of clay mineral in the sand will help to create a fire-proof mould.

As stated in the discussion of the lost-wax process, also in this case the aim is to create a hollow

space between the outer form and the casting core where the molten bronze will be filled in. The

process begins with an artist’s model, usually in clay. From the original, piece moulds are taken to

make a plaster replica (a positive). After the plaster replica has dried and been shellacked, it is half-

buried in a bed of sand held in a rigid metal frame, usually cast iron or wrought iron (Fig. 2.2.a).

The surface of the plaster is dusted with talc as a separator or release agent, and the sand is packed

firmly in place, a process called ramming. At the end the exposed top half of the sculpture will be

covered by a series of small, carefully moulded sand pieces (Fig. 2.2.b). The form pieces are fixed

by core pins in the outer layer of sand and the whole negative form is then dusted with talc or

carbon dust for an easier removing from the cast bronze later on. The pieces of sand are held in

place by a coarser outer bed of sand, supported in a second metal frame and again rammed to

stabilise the material (Fig. 2.2.c). This same process has to be carried out for the other side of the

plaster replica (Fig. 2.2.d and 2.2.e). After that it is very important to extract the plaster replica

without disturbing the very fine sand mould pieces (Fig. 2.2.f).

23

The void within the two halves of the mould is filled with a core. The core is constructed around an

armature made of iron pipe, rod or wire (Fig. 2.2.g and 2.2.h). Some rods project out and serve to

steady the core in the mould during casting. The core material usually contains plaster, sand

furthermore wax rods or organic material. The basic idea behind this is to make the core material as

porous as possible because it will expand and contract during the heating and cooling of the bronze

casting process. Now the inner form is almost completed but it still fills up the entire cavity

formerly occupied by the replica. So it has to be scraped back to generate a hollow space for the

bronze (Fig. 2.2.i). Now the surfaces of the halves of the mould are pierced in a number of places to

provide channels that serve various purposes (Fig. 2.2.j). Some channels, called gates, allow hot

metal to enter the empty space; others, called vents, permit gas to escape during the casting process.

The metal is melted in a crucible and poured into the mould through funnels.

During the casting, it is possible that the sand pieces shift a bit or get small cracks. This causes

characteristic seams in the sculpture that have later to be worked over.

A very good indication that a bronze monument is made by the lost-wax process is the great number

of core pins keeping the distance between the core and the outer form. Core-pins are always absent

in the sand forming process because they do not provide stability in the sand.

Figure 2.2.: The sand-casting process and working steps. From Lüer, Leipzig ~1902.

2.3. What is bronze?

Pure copper is not as fusible as bronze because it spatters during the casting and sets under

blistering. Therefore there are only very few monuments of cast copper worldwide. Copper alloys

with tin (Sn) and zinc (Zn) are better to cast than pure copper. The composition of art foundry

bronzes changed over time. Whereas the oldest Egyptian bronze sculptures were made out of a

mixture of copper and lead the Greek and Roman bronze sculptures contained less lead but more tin

and zinc. The German bronze sculptures of the Middle Ages were predominantly copper alloyed

with tin and only a very small amount of lead or zinc. But there are a lot of brass monuments in the

Nuremberg area.

24

19th century chemists considered a pure tin bronze as the very best choice in order to achieve a nice

natural patina. Foundry men liked to have more freedom and had individual habits. Casting

procedure were always optimised for certain alloys. This practise has roots in the history of each

foundry where an alloy which gives good results will never be used in another. A good illustration

of this empirical approach is the consideration by many foundry men in Germany that the alloy used

by the famous J.B. Keller in France for his famous equestrian monuments was the best suited for

big bronze monuments. It had even a proper name in Germany (“Keller-Bronze”), but chemists did

not agree with this.

In the beginning 20th century it was considered that the best bronze contains 90-93% Cu and 7-10%

Sn. The 93% Cu/7% Sn-bronze was used especially for the bronze sculptures in Germany of the

modern age For smaller monuments and ornaments mixtures of 88-92% Cu, 8-6% Zn and 4-2% Sn

were used.

The use of various copper alloys lead to different characteristics for the bronze sculptures. The

addition of Sn increases the hardness of the metal and the quality of polishing of the material, while

Zn improves the pourability. Lead increases the image sharpness. Depending on the history or

origin, the bronze contains other traces like nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), antimony (Sb), arsenic (As) or

iron (Fe), but as metal traces they do not influence the metallurgical properties of the bronze metal.

The famous Chinese mirror alloys contain between 20 and 27% tin and up to 6% lead so that they

have a silvery-white colour and resistance against colour changing. However this type of alloy is

brittle and difficult to engrave.

Copper and tin can easily be mixed by heating to high temperatures in the mass ratio that is typical

for bronze. During the cooling of the copper alloys after the casting the copper-tin mixture hardens

first in mixed crystals. Lead is completely insoluble in these mixed crystals and stays liquid for a

longer time because of its lower melting point. So lead hardens at last between the copper-tin

crystals and fills even the smallest unevenness between metal and form. So it is obvious that a

higher content of lead within the copper alloy leads to an increasing image sharpness.

Table 2.1 shows some types of copper alloys and their different compositions. There are two

fundamentally different types of bronzes called red brass (Rg) and tin bronze. Tin bronzes only

contain copper and tin whereas the red brass alloys contain also small amounts of zinc and lead.

Type of copper alloy

Cu [weight %]

Sn [weight %]

Zn [weight %]

Pb [weight %]

Rg A

84

5

7

4

G-CuSn4ZnPb (Rg 4)

93

4

2

1

G-CuSn5ZnPb (Rg 5)

85

5

7

3

G-CuSn7ZnPb (Rg 7)

83

7

4

6

G-CuSn8Zn (Rg 8)

82

8

10

-

G-CuSn9Zn (Rg 9)

85

9

6

-

G-CuSn10Zn (Rg 10)

86

10

4

-

G-CuSn10

90

10

-

G-CuSn12

88

12

-

G-CuSn14

86

14

-

Table 2.1.: Types of copper alloys used in casting and their different compositions. From Deutsche Norm, DIN 1705,

Kupfer-Zinn-und Kupfer-Zinn-Zink-Gu



legierungen (Gu



-Zinnbronze und Rotgu



), Berlin November 1981.

25

2.4 What is a patina?

As the discussion of this question fills books it is not possible to describe the term "patina"

appropriately within two pages. So discussion about patina is controversial and wide ranging, but

most conservators are in agreement that a patina on a bronze sculpture should be such as that the

bronze still bears its peculiar metallic character. Nevertheless there is no clear distinction between

the terms "patina" and "corrosion layer". From a corrosion scientist’s point of view both terms

describe similar chemical situations. E.g. a patina and a corrosion layer both might have

incorporated deposited material from outside like fat from touching or traces of dirt. But as a rule

the concept "patina" includes an aesthetic appreciation whereas the term "corrosion layer" does not.

A major benefit of a patina in the positive sense of the word is that it protects the metal against

destruction by environmental pollution and furthermore might be of a positive aesthetic value.

Figure 2.3 shows a cross-section of a sample from an outdoor bronze sculpture. This is an example

of a naturally grown patina that is no more protective.

Figure 2.3.: Typical cross-section of an outdoor bronze sculpture (width: 0.6 mm). The assumed original surface has

been destroyed to a great extent in the green areas.

There are two types of patina, natural and artificial. "Natural" or "artificial" refers to the causes of

the patina formation, so a natural patina means that it has been formed by environmental influence

only. The terms do not tell us whether the respective layer is stable or not. Some people prefer to

distinguish "outdoor patina" and "indoor patina", with outdoor patina being dominated by green

basic copper sulphates and indoor patina as a brown cuprite (copper-I-oxide) patina. An artificial

patina is maintained by applying chemicals or paint onto the surface of the bronze sculpture to

provide an "antique" finish or for various styles of coloration. Many modern sculptures are

artificially patinated.

To focus on the characteristics of patina on bronzes, it is necessary to have a look on the

vocabulary. There are four basic attributes of a patina on bronze sculpture; these are typically paired

as "natural" and "artificial" and as "stable" and "active". The terms "stable" and "active" refer to the

condition and reactivity of the patina and distinguish between two kinds of bronze corrosion. The

so-called "noble patina" consists of corrosion products that are at the same time attractive and

chemically stable. This type of patina is for example often found on excavated Etruscan and

Chinese mirrors. A stable patina is hard to find outdoors in these days because it is formed over a

long time period with little pollution. As a consequence there is only a slow corrosion and time

enough to form a stable corrosion layer. A noble patina on outdoor bronze sculptures can be defined

26

as a green or brown, shiny, peculiarly attractive, translucent surface which leaves no doubt that the

metal lies beneath. The translucent surface does not result from treatment but is simply caused by

gentle patina formation. It owes its beauty not only to a green colour. As a rule warm, red-brown

tones are displayed as well. The original contours of the bronze with all its finishing details must be

visible and the patina should have an enamel-like surface.

A chemically and mechanically stable patina normally has a glossy, translucent surface and a dense

smooth layer of brownish cuprite (copper-(I)-oxide) close to the metal surface. The smoothness and

gloss of the surface can be enhanced by the occasional touching of passers-by. The active or

virulent patina consists of those corrosion products that actively corrode the metal surface. It is

mostly of modern origin, namely caused by industrial pollution (presence of sulphates see below)

and can be found on the surface of urban outdoor bronze sculptures but also on very old

archaeological bronzes (presence of chlorides).

In modern times sulphur dioxide air pollution has formed light-green patinas consisting of basic

copper sulphates. This kind of look has become familiar and is sometimes described as a typical

natural patina. This modern type of patina might be protective in some cases for the metal but is not

very stable mechanically and chemically. However it might have a cultural value and carry marks

from tools and other information. Sometimes it is considered to have an aesthetic value but of

course the judgement may vary from object to object and among people and cultures.

A scientific clue to the understanding of the character of a natural outdoor patina lies in the

properties of the base material. The patina will develop in a positive manner when the alloy is

homogeneous, fine-grained, dense and not too porous. The surface has to be so smooth that

oxidation occurs very slowly.

Finally it has to be pointed out that there are always exceptions and special cases. This short

overview is intended as a quick information only and cannot replace the study of actual monuments

and further literature as mentioned above.

By Anke Doktor and Martin Mach

27

CHAPTER 3

Deterioration of outdoor bronze monuments

3.1. General principles on the corrosion of copper based alloys

Metals have the tendency to corrode. Obtained from stable minerals which had to be melted or

transformed, they tend with time to come back to their original state.

This statement is well understood by everyone and conservators looking after metal objects know

very well that if such an object is left unprotected in the harsh atmospheric or other environment, its

appearance will gradually change and its surface will become covered with streaks, run offs, and

disfiguring corrosion layers.

Corrosion processes are taking place at the atomic level and involve not only the metal itself but the

environment (mostly humidity, oxygen O2 and other gas present in the atmosphere). Exchange of

electrons are involved in electrochemical processes and conduct on the metal surface (M) to the

dissolution of positive charged metal particles (cations M+) and from the environment to the

formation of negative charged particles (anions OH-). Both particles react to form a more or less

protective film (M(OH)n) on the metal surface (Fig. 3.1).

Figure 3.1.: Representation of electrochemical reactions taking place at the metal surface.

Heterogeneities and defaults present at the metal surface, particularly in the case of alloys (pores,

boundaries between grains of different composition, inclusions combining the different elements…)

are preferential site for corrosion processes. According to the metal microstructure they will

develop from pitting corrosion to general corrosion (on the whole surface or inside the metal).

Water tends to favour corrosion processes but oxidation also occurs in dry atmospheres and may

even conduct to the formation of a very protective oxide film.

Usually atmospheres are classified as rural, urban (SO2 deposition rate 10-80mg SO2 per m2/day),

industrial (SO2 deposition rate> 200mg per m2/day) and marine (between 5 to 500mg NaCl per

m2/day and can be as high as 1500mg).

28

Copper and bronze have always been regarded as corrosion resistant materials in outdoor

environments in comparison to iron alloys but the metal surface may be heavily damaged (etched).

Corrosion rates have been recorded in field exposures of copper and bronze coupons in different

environments, The general rate is higher on copper than bronze and is slightly higher on unsheltered

samples than on sheltered ones (Tab. 3.1).

Table 3,1.: Mass loss and calculated penetration for copper and bronze samples (Rg7) exposed at 39 sites in 14

countries after 1 or 4 years respectively. From Stöckle et al,1993.

When considering the characteristic features of the corrosion layers obtained, 4 different cases are

usually observed (Fig. 3.2):

- dark smooth area found on rain-sheltered areas. They correspond usually to the original

surface. Oxide layer (cuprite Cu2O) combined with soot particles and chloride species

(atacamite Cu2(OH)3Cl) may be identified.

- Black crust found on rain-sheltered areas and for monuments older than several decades. In

addition to the previous compounds copper sulphates (brochantite Cu4(OH)6SO4 and

antlerite Cu3(OH)4SO4) are found.

- Light green areas on horizontal or inclined rain-exposed areas. Exposure to rain causes the

dissolution of the corrosion layers, sometimes exposing the underlying cuprite layer.

- Light vertical streaks on rain exposed areas.

Figure 3.2.: Sketches illustrating cross-sections of characteristic patina layers on outdoor sculptures. From Strandberg,

1997c.

29

Different factors affect the presence of corrosion layers and their particular development. They are

presented below.

Corrosion also occurs on artificial patinated metal surfaces covered or not with a coating (wax).

Complex reactions may then be involved in addition to the basic principles described previously.

By Christian Degrigny and Dimitrios Charalambous

3.2. What factors affect the deterioration of outdoor bronze monuments?

Among the factors mentioned below, the acid rain and the application of graffiti are of particular

importance nowadays and bring new maintenance problems. In the following we concentrate on the

bronze part of the monument.

3.2.a. Techniques of construction

The alloy composition of the monument may influence the deterioration process. However, of more

importance is the structure of the bronze surface. A smooth surface that is chased and polished and

is free from pores and cracks best resists corrosion.

Iron parts in bronze sculptures may cause big problem due to galvanic corrosion. Large sculptures

are often constructed with an iron skeleton serving as an inner armature for the core, and smaller

sculptures occasionally have reinforcement in some weak parts. Iron bolts are sometimes used for

joining. Iron parts will rust and cause rusty stains. The large volume of the iron corrosion products

may also cause cracks in the bronze. Stainless steel is a better choice of material when new

constructions are made.

3.2.b. Artificial patination

The appearance of bronze may vary due to the artificial patination method used when the

monument was made. When a sculpture has been dark-patinated it may still appear darker for some

decades than if green patinated (this is attributed to both the composition of the patina and its

smoother surface). Other characteristic features due to patination method may be localized

corrosion. Patchy and cracked patterns on sculptures may also indicate an original patination or

surface treatment.

3.2.c. Humidity and climate

The humidity in the air is of great importance for the deterioration. Many corrosion mechanisms are

only occurring above a certain critical relative humidity (RH). About 70% RH is critical for many

corrosion processes on bronze. As indicated in table 3.2 the mean humidity in Göteborg and

Munich is close or above this critical humidity, while in Athens it is below. Consequently, the

corrosion rate is much higher in the humid Göteborg and Munich than in the arid Athens.

30

Rain

(mm/y

ear)

pH

of rain

RH

(%)

SO

(10-6g/m3)

NO2

(10-6g/m3)

Soot

(10-6g/m3)

Ann

Wint

Sum

Ann

Wint

Sum

Ann

Wint

Sum

Ann

Wint

Sum

Göteborg

1997

900

4.5

75

85

65

4

6

30

4

6

Munich

1999

800

5.5 to 6

67

75

60

5

8

2

39

47

32

34

38

30

Athens

1999

400

63

73

48

39

60

28

91

87

100

106

118

94

Table 3.2.: Climate and air-pollution values in the cities of Göteborg, Munich and Athens. Annual ,winter and summer

values are presented. (Munich source: Lufthygienischer Jahresbericht 1990 to 1999. Bayerisches Landesamt für

Umweltschutz 1999; Athens source: Greek National Observatory; and Göteborg source: Luftföroreningar i Göteborg.

Årsrapport 1997, Miljöförvaltningen, Miljö Göteborg (1998)

A marine climate is a strongly corroding factor for all metals. The salt that is transported with wind

and rain causes pitting corrosion of the metal. If the air is additionally polluted with sulphur dioxide

a synergistic effect occurs. Soluble compounds thus are formed resulting in weathering of the

patina.

In Nordic countries when marble is used as a material for the base, transformation of water in ice

may provoke damage of the material (cracking and deformation). As a result this process will

destabilise the bronze sculpture placed on it. Due to safety reasons, special attention of these

monuments is needed.

3.2.d. Outdoor pollution

There is a range of pollutants in the outdoor city air, which are crucial for the deterioration

processes on the bronze monuments. Mean values of some air-pollutants in the city air are shown in

table 3.2.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) from the combustion of fossil fuel creates an acid electrolyte on the bronze

surface when water is present and forms the corrosion product brochantite (Cu4(OH)6SO4) by time.

This corrosion product gives the characteristic light green appearance of outdoor bronze sculptures

in cities. The SO2 levels showed very high levels in the 1970’s in many cities in Europe (one to two

magnitudes higher) but have decreased during the last decades, especially in the north of Europe

(Fig. 3.3). This has resulted in less amount of brochantite forming on bronzes nowadays.

Figure 3.3.: Historical emissions of sulphur dioxide in Europe between 1880 and 1990. Source: Mylona, S. Trends of

sulphur dioxide emissions, air concentrations and depositions of sulphur in Europe since 1880. Meteorological

Synthesizing Centre-West, The Norwegian Meteorological Inst., EMEP/MSC W report 2/93 (1993), p 22.

31

The corrosion rate of outdoor bronze monuments is closely related to the concentrations of acid

forming gases. In particular the amount of sulphur dioxide is correlated to the mass loss of outdoor

bronze sculptures as shown in figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4.: Dose-response function of unsheltered bronze exposed for 1, 2, 4, and 8 years. The material was exposed in

12 European countries and in the United States and Canada. Obviously, the damages follow an exponential curve.

Bronze alloy: G-CuSn7ZnPb (RG 7). From: Stöckle et al, 1993.

NO2 is a corrosive acid forming substance that shows synergistic effects with SO2 on copper and

bronze corrosion. The main source for NO2 emissions in city air is automotive exhausts. The

pollutant level is clearly related to the intensity of the traffic. In urban air, NO2 has not showed any

decreased trend during the last decades.

Ozone is a strong oxidant that also shows synergistic effects with SO2 and increases the corrosion

rate of bronzes.

Soot comes from incomplete fuel combustion and consists mainly of carbon. Soot is correlated to

SO2 emissions in a historical perspective and has simultaneously decreased in many European cities

the last decades. Soot mixed with corrosion colours the black rain shaded parts on bronze

sculptures.

Dust particles may be of many various kinds, sometimes protective for the material properties, and

sometimes damaging. An important aesthetic damaging factor is that dust deposited on a monument

covers and makes the surface of monuments dull so the artistic expression may be obscure. Dust

often contains sand and soil particles. Salt particles from the sea and from the dusty winter roads in

the Northern countries may deposit and be very corrosive. A thin layer of iron particles from tram’s

dust may deposit in bronze patina and may sometimes form a dense, smooth “yellow patina” that

has some aesthetic qualities and protecting properties.

3.2.e. Acid rain

Natural precipitation, rain and snow, is slightly acidic and pH in natural rainwater is about 5.6. Over

the last few decades, the acidity in rainwater generally has exhibited much greater acidity due to the

widespread occurrence of SO2 and NO2. This phenomenon has been particularly important in

Nordic countries as shown on figure 3.5. Today the acidity of rain in Europe is generally about 10

times higher than in the middle of the century and no decreasing trend is evident. The pH of rain is

consequently lower.

010 20 30 40 50 60

0

20

40

60

80

Bruno Stöckle & Andreas Krätschmer

Bavarian State Department of Historical Monuments

UN/ECE Programme on Effects on Materials

Bronze unsheltered

Exposure Time

1 year

2 years

4 years

8 years

Corrosion Mass Loss [g/m²]

Amount of Sulfurdioxide

in Air [µg/m³]

32

Figure 3.5.: Increase of precipitation acidity in Scandinavia between 1957 and 1970. The solid lines mark contours of

equal pH. From Wayne, 1985, p201. Source: Linkens, G., Chem. Engng News 54 (1976) 29.

The acidity in the rain may dissolve locally the patina that protects the bronze metal of the

monuments and initiate electrochemical corrosion processes between the bare metal and the

surrounding patina. This dissolution of the patina may also result in the loss of original surface

texture, e.g. tool marks on the surface.

3.2.f. The location in the city

The location of a monument is of certain importance for its condition. Sculptures in parks sheltered

from wind and traffic are better preserved than objects exposed to heavy traffic. Trees and bushes

absorb the air-pollutants and create a better atmosphere. Deep pits in the bronze surface created by

pitting corrosion are often observed on parts of sculptures close to the traffic.

Objects exposed to strong winds from the sea are characterised by being more light-green and

deteriorated on this side.

3.2.g. Use of the monuments

Many monuments have a practical function that may become a threat to the material properties and

intrinsic symbolic values of works of art. Water fountains, sculptural parts frequently touched by

man, and sculptures inviting and intended for children’s climbing, are example of monuments being

used. On the other hand traces of such practical use can be of importance for the true interpretation

of the image of the sculpture. Some modern artists appreciate children climbing and other use of the

monuments. However, artists sometimes have changed their opinion when the marked wear become

evident.

To a certain degree the touching, which implies polishing of the surface, preserves the monument.

The surface becomes smooth and maybe greasy which inhibits the corrosion. However, if the wear

goes beyond the cuprite patina and shows the bare shiny metal surface a prohibition to touching

should be considered.

Fountains sometimes suffer from thick deposits of lime from the pipe water that discolour and cover

the surface of the bronze. The aesthetic values certainly decrease with such crusts, however this

alkaline deposit may also protect the patina. Water rinsing the surface of a bronze may protect the

surface to some degree but at the same time mechanically wears the patina off. Some parts of

fountains, which are not rinsed, are constantly at very high relative humidity. This is a very

corrosive environment and pitting corrosion may be severe. Algae sometimes grow on the lime and

dust deposits on bronze sculptures.

33

Many monuments also have a practical function for animals. Birds love certain sculptures. Bird-

droppings may cause corrosion damage since their debris contain corrosive agents dissolving the

patina compounds. Greenish disfiguring deposits and streaks are formed on the bronze sculptures.

Spiders and other insects may also like to live in the monuments but do not cause any harm.

3.2.h. Vandalism

Graffiti and scrawl is a great problem in cities and has increased considerably in the last decade.

Vandalism may alter more drastically the appearance of an outdoor sculpture. The use of spray

paint or felt tip marker is a way of expressing public discontent towards government or society at

large. More radical forms of expression may be to use explosives or to physically remove the

sculpture or parts of it from its location. Here, such reactions may merit removing such a

monument, especially when it endangers people’s lives.

The bronze parts of the monuments are not used to be the most inviting to paint on, but the flat

bases, often in stone, seems to be inviting surfaces to write tags on. Paint products on bronze

surfaces may sometimes be impossible to remove without damaging the complete patina of the

object, especially when time has passed and the paint has been included in the corrosion products.

Graffiti paint should therefore be removed immediately. Professional guidance should be consulted

since acidic cleaning agents and hot medium pressure water may damage the patina.

Bronze is a rather hard and tough material that is not so easy to break without tools. However, there

are incidents where protruding parts have been broken off sculptures only by mans power. Since

many monuments are symbols with various meaning provoking vandalism sometimes occur. At

several occasions the head of the famous Copenhagen Mermaid have been sawed away. In Athens,

… Monument has been several times the target of soldiers during the second world war who

shooted it (Fig. 3.6). There are also political actions aimed towards monuments symbolizing the

power. Some examples can be mentioned. The Peter I monument in Moscow was exposed to a

bomb attack 1997. The bronze Lions in front of the Norwegian Parliament House in Oslo were also

set in fire in 2001.

Figure 3.6: … Monument, by…, shooted with bullets during the 2nd war. Credit?

By Helena Strandberg

3.3. Problems that face outdoor bronze sculptures

The problems that face outdoor bronze monuments are essentially all man-made. While these

problems can be classified, they vary depending on the techniques of construction, location and

environmental setting of each monument, and subsequent documentation, treatment and

maintenance program in each city. For example, outdoor bronze monuments in Munich or Göteborg

tend to be more heavily corroded than in Athens. These cities in Northern Europe have heavier

rainfalls and are more humid than a country like Greece, which is warmer and more arid in its

climate. In today’s polluted environment, rain in most rural areas in Europe is acidic, which results

in further stimulating corrosion of outdoor bronze metal. However, outdoor bronze monuments in

Athens suffer more from vandalism than in Munich or Göteborg, most likely due to public

insensitivity towards the history of their city’s monuments. The public may be uninformed of both

the historical and artistic significance of these works of art.

34

Acid rain and vandalism are man-made factors that alter visually the appearance of bronze

sculptures and disfigure them. Pollution such as acid rain changes slowly the colour and texture of

the original surface. Unfortunately, the colour changes are not uniform, so that on an artificial black

patina surface, streaks or patches of light green may appear, which are unpleasing to the eye, and

affect the artist’s original intention. This phenomenon characterises particularly monuments of the

last decades. This corrosion may also cause serious damage to changes in the surface texture. The

corrosion layers that form with time may hide or distort surface details, such as tool marks that are

signatures of the artist and craftsman.

Many factors influence the extent of deterioration caused by acid rain and vandalism to such

monuments. For example, the shape of the monument or holes located in metal due to casting

methods may result in more accumulation of water in certain areas of the sculpture. Improper

materials used or unrefined finishing in the techniques of construction of a sculpture can lead to

unpredictable problems when they come in contact with water.

Also, monuments located in hidden and isolated areas that can be reached by the public tend to be

easy targets for graffiti. Lack of urban planning in proper placement or an uninformed public as to

the historic significance of a monument increases the chances of monuments becoming attacked by

passers-by.

Finally, the biggest problem that faces outdoor bronze monuments is a lack of funding and proper

planning to protect them. Some city officials believe that caring for outdoor bronze monuments is

similar to cleaning a sidewalk. Untrained personnel who do not have knowledge, experience, or

judgment in the conservation of such objects have caused much damage to such works of art.

While it would be unthinkable to use untrained workers to restore or even touch a museum object,

in some cities it is common practice for such workers to handle our monuments. Furthermore, some

cities may sporadically invest in restoring some of its outdoor monuments, without even

considering investing long-term in maintaining them.

By Vasilike Argyropoulos

3.3.a. Athens: vandalism but slight corrosion problems

There are around 63 outdoor bronze monuments in Athens. A conservation survey, which means

documenting the location, historical information, and condition of the monument, has recently been

carried out for all the monuments. The results show that around 20% have graffiti on the metal

surface of the sculpture either in the form of paint or felt tip marker. Around 15% have graffiti

problems on the marble base of the monument. A few monuments have missing parts, due to

vandalism.

The annual SO2, NO2, and soot values in Athens are more than double the values of Göteborg or

Munich (Tab. 3.2). One would expect with such high pollution levels for outdoor bronze

monuments to be in worse condition than those in Munich or Göteborg. On the contrary, due to the

low annual rainfall and relative humidity, outdoor bronze monuments corrode at a much slower rate

than in northern European countries. Nonetheless, monuments that have been placed outside for

more than 10 to 15 years show visible signs of alterations on the surface of the metal. These

alterations are in the form of streaking or light green patches, which are disfiguring to the original

appearance of the sculpture. Older monuments around 100 years old, such as the Kolokotronis

35

monument, show signs of black crusts on the surface of the metal, as well as streaking and light

green patches.

By Vasilike Argyropoulos

3.3.b. Göteborg: sculptures in a rough marine environment

The outdoor monuments in Göteborg face a rough humid and corrosive environment. The city is

situated on the west coast of Sweden and has a strongly corrosive climate due to the proximity to

the sea that brings sea salt by the western winds, high humidity in the air, pollution from heavy

traffic and industry, and an acid rain falling. These factors affect the outdoor monuments in such

way that they will corrode faster than e.g. in Athens that has a dryer climate or in Munich that has

an inland climate. Therefore the monuments may turn green in a few decades in Göteborg and this

is the way the people in the city are used to see the monuments. However, the green patina and also

the black soot crust on old monuments is nowadays dissolving by the acid rain. This causes the

streaked appearance on sculptures. The patina on rain-exposed parts of the sculpture become

weathered and destroyed.

In Göteborg, the sculptures from the 1940s and 1950s appear to be in a rapid change. They show

evident colour contrasts between dark and light green areas and distinct vertical streaks caused by

the rain. Orange or brown areas also occur indicating the leaching of patina compounds.

Older sculptures, from the 19th century or from the beginning of this century, exhibit considerably

thicker corrosion product layers. In some cases the sculptures appear predominantly green. Thick

black hard crusts are evident in rain-sheltered areas. The green discoloration on adjacent stone bases

of older sculptures, especially when they are made of marble, also indicate the dissolution and

washing-out of copper compounds, especially on marble bases (see figure 1.8 of Gustav II Adolf in

Göteborg).

By Helena Strandberg

3.3.c. Munich: a typical case of western Europe large city

Damages on historical monuments have to be interpreted with respect to the environmental situation

in the surrounding area. Germany has a continuous weather and pollution monitoring since about

1950. As there were no suitable methods before that time, those measurements were only done

sporadically. Like in other countries in western Europe the SO2 pollution has decreased. In East

Germany the situation has improved most.

Munich is a large city in the south of Germany that nowadays has a moderately corrosive climate.

Outdoor bronze monuments have to resist to influences by heavy traffic and acid rain. Fountain

sculptures are exposed to water that contains a considerable amount of calcium carbonate as well.

This often causes the formation of thick crusts on the sculptures. The colour changes to light grey.

The visual appearance and changes of the visual appearance of Munich’s outdoor bronze

monuments is similar to the situation in Göteborg. First the monuments turn to dark-brown or black,

then acidic attack begins to undermine the black surface, a process which is being signalised by the

formation of green corrosion products. This lasts at least a few decades. It is the typical fate of

bronzes of the 19th century.

36

More than 75% of the Munich bronze monuments are situated in or near the city centre where the

amount of SO2 has been 20-40 µg/m3 in 1967. The majority of bronze monuments from the 16th-

18th century are situated in inner courtyards but still in vicinity to main streets. About 25 big bronze

monuments are standing directly at streets. Most big bronze monuments of the 19th century are

situated on squares with high traffic in the city centre where they face the main sources of air

pollution.

By Anke Doktor and Martin Mach

37

CHAPTER 4

Conservation Strategy

4.1. General approach

4.1.a. Planning conservation

Professional conservation practice presumes an understanding of many factors. Among these are the

intent of the artist, considerations of the values that people attach to the objects, and the use of the

monument. Moreover, the practice assumes a sound knowledge of the effects of time on the

material properties, its implications for the object and various treatments according to the principles

established. However, in many cases decisions concerning selection of conservation treatment often

take place without a professional conservator involved in planning and/or execution of conservation

interventions.

4.1.b. Ethical considerations

Standards of conservation have been developed to guide intervention for all kinds of cultural

property and are found in some of the recent documents including: the AIC document (revised

1979), the Venice Charter (1964; revised 1978), the Burra Charter (Australia ICOMOS 1988), and

the Nara document (1995). All these documents identify the conservation process as one governed

by absolute respect for the aesthetic, historic, and physical integrity of the object with a high sense

of moral responsibility. This implies obligations that fall into the following categories:

– to perform research and documentation, i.e. to record physical, archival, and other

evidence before and after any intervention;

– to respect cumulative age-value, i.e. to acknowledge the work as a cumulative physical

record of human activity embodying cultural values, materials, and techniques;

– to safeguard authenticity, i.e. to respect and understand the values attributed to the

heritage. However, it is not possible to base judgments of value and authenticity on absolute

criteria, since judgments may differ from culture to culture, and even within the same

culture;

– to perform minimum reintegration, i.e. to re-establish structural, aesthetic, and semiotic

legibility with the least possible interference with the original;

- to perform interventions that will allow other options and further treatment in the future.

4.1.c. Documentation

Documentation should always be performed before, during and after any intervention. This includes

e.g.:

- photo documentation;

- historical research of the object;

- recording of the condition of the object, e.g. colour, patina cross sections;

- definition of the “original surface”;

- recording of damages;

- analysis of the object, e.g. corrosion samples, alloy composition;

38

- analysis of the environment;

- analysis of causes of damages;

- documentation of all measures performed including method, material, products, and chemicals.

To find the causes for the actual condition historic research is necessary. Analyses of corrosion

samples and e.g. alloy composition may reveal causes for deterioration and information relevant for

the history of technology.

This documentation is essential to establish the condition report and define the conservation plan.

4.1.d. Choice of interventions

Interventions may be exercised in different ways to preserve qualities of significance. They should

be minimised as they may always involve some loss of value. Different degrees of intervention are

identified which can take place separately or simultaneously in conservation treatment. They are

presented below:

– Prevention of deterioration may include planned measures after diagnosis, e.g. to reduce

atmospheric pollution. Preventive measures for new sculptures may be the consideration of

appropriate patination methods for sculptures and locations for inauguration. Regular professional

inspection and maintenance plans to prevent the development of undesirable changes are other

preventive measures.

– Preservation signifies the effort to keep cultural property in the existing state, e.g. by

maintenance, including superficial cleaning of surface dirt and repair. By removing corrosive agents

such actions may preserve sculptures from deterioration.

– Consolidation is the addition of supportive materials to ensure structural integrity. This includes

application of coatings to preserve patina of sculpture from corrosive atmosphere and acid rain, e.g.

by waxes. Preservation by consolidation may be executed with the aim to "freeze" objects in the

existing state with use of conservation materials regarded as "reversible", and sometimes with

material that is supposed to be long-time durable. Retreatable methods, e.g. the use of waxes, allow

future treatment and are of considerable significance for architecture and outdoor monuments in

corrosive environments.

– Restoration is the renewal of material components, which implies the revival of an original

concept or legibility of an object, e.g. in cases where random coloration of corrosion and crusts

visually destroys sculptural form and reading of surface texture. This may include total or partial

removal of corrosion products, mechanically (e.g. by metallic wool; abrasive pads; abrasive tools;

peening with sand, glass beads or granulates of walnut shells; or by ultra-high-pressure water) or

chemically (e.g. by chelating agents or acids). After removal of corrosion products, repatination of

the sculpture may be performed with chemicals. Restoration is often a controversial issue. The main

motives for such actions often are based on aesthetic and/or functional considerations, and not

primarily on efforts to reduce the rate of decay.

– Reproduction implies copying an extant artefact, e.g. when the original version has to be moved.

Such protection of an authentic work may be the case for sculptures of exceptional value, or when

an object is threatened by the surrounding environment.

- Reconstruction must be based on accurate documentation. A missing part of a sculpture may be

reconstructed since it sometimes is necessary in order to re-establish visual appearance and

meaning. However, it should neither replace nor compete with the original work or with the

conservation process, but be an integral part of the object.

39

4.1.e. Preventive strategies

- Professionals should be consulted before any intervention on outdoor art.

- Education and supervision in conservation for all professionals involved in the handling of

outdoor public art is necessary.

- Professional inspection of outdoor art should be performed regularly.

- Maintenance plans should be designed and implemented to prevent the development of

undesirable changes.

- Conservation should be considered already at the commissioning of new art-works. The

construction, choice of material and patination method could be discussed with craftsmen and

artists before the construction begins to avoid safety, structural and aesthetic problems in the

future. The location of inauguration could also be considered in this context.

4.1.f. Treatment

Minimal and retreatable intervention performances should preferably be chosen and strong

measures such as restoration avoided if possible. However within this range there are many ways to

treat the objects.

When minimal intervention is performed the patina on the sculpture is respected as an integrated

part of the object and will never be taken off to the bare metal. However, deposits of soot and dust

that cover the surface and may be corrosive is removed, as well as some corrosion that disfigures

the original surface texture. The aim is to clean from dirt, uncover the original surface and

strengthen the patina by making it denser e.g. by polishing.

The conservators methods for cleaning include low-pressure water, nylon brushes, and scalpels.

Chemicals are used selectively with great care with the risk to stimulate further corrosion. The use

of harder methods like blasting with walnut shells and medium-pressure water are sometimes used

by conservators but may remove some of the light green patina. Sandblasting has to be avoided

because even the finest and softest material removes the green patina completely while the brown

cuprite patina is more stable.

The cleaning is restricted to the controlled removing of crusts of dirt and sometimes lime (in the

case of fountain sculptures) that lies above the original patina. As already said the aim of a bronze

conservation is to maintain the ageing value and not to uncover the shiny metal surface. The

disturbing layers are removed with stainless steel scalpels. If there are brittle layers and thick lime

crusts, vibrating tools can come to use, but only if the crusts can be removed in flakes. It may also

be necessary to dense the rough crusts with rotating synthetic brushes. Laser cleaning is being

discussed right now but its use is still far away from the practise routine work.

A wax coating may have a positive influence on the visual appearance because colour contrasts

caused by corrosion will be reduced and the surface gets a silky metallic shine. One question may

be why not covering the whole sculpture with a modern kind of synthetic coating? There are many

disadvantages for those methods. First of all the metallic character of the sculpture will be reduced

and the sculpture will achieve a shiny, more plastic look. The lacquer does not disappear by

weathering but stay on the surface in that partly disappeared state, which makes the bronze look

grey and neglected after a while. A partial renewing of the coating is neither possible. Lacquers

have been developed for outdoor copper and bronzes (Incralac, Ormocer) but they have not found a

large application in conservation.

40

Instead, the microcrystalline waxes are mainly used for conservation today and have been optimised

for metal conservation. Chemically, they are to the largest part paraffin waxes consisting of long

chain and sometimes branching hydrocarbons. They have a good water resistance but allow oxygen

to diffuse through. The melting point of the wax should be high enough so the wax does not get

sticky under sunlight. Beeswax is another wax that has long been used in conservation. It is simpler

to apply but may become soft and sticky under sunlight and is more rapidly worn off.

The conservation with wax has the disadvantage that it cannot stand raining as long as a lacquer. On

the other hand it remains at least for two years (in Göteborg and Munich) on the exposed parts and

clearly longer on sheltered parts. Wax coatings can be renewed partly without problems and if

nobody cares about the coating they simply disappear through raining without leaving traces or

damages. Last but not least they adjust the colour contrasts and to some degree restore the lost

metallic look.

In most cases the restoration measures concerns only the outer surface of the sculpture, but

sometimes it can also be necessary to have a look on the interior parts, in particular if there are rust

streams or cracks visible on the surface. These damages are often caused by an iron construction

lying inside the sculpture. When the iron is corroding it expands its volume and may break the

bronze structure. When severe interventions have to be done, like restoration of structurally

damaged sculptures, reconstructions, and new joints for sculptures, conservation professionals

should always be consulted.

By Helena Strandberg

4.2. Cases studies

In the following we present some case studies that illustrate the general strategy chosen by the three

partners of the European project. Some of the partners, from Munich and Göteborg, have a large

experience in the conservation of outdoor bronze monuments and used then well defined

procedures. Athenians partners that began in the field benefited from the experience of their

colleagues. The conservation of the Kolotronis monument in Athens is taken as an example and is

described thoroughly. Strategies for other monuments are described more briefly.

4.2.a. Monument in Athens

Two monuments were considered in Athens, Kolotronis monument and the bust of Lekaditis.

Theodoros Kolokotronis

41

Figure 4.1.: Theodoros Kolokotronis monument in front of the Old Parliament building in Athens. Credit?

The sculpture of Theodoros Kolokotronis located in front of the old Parliament building in Athens

was made in 1900 and erected in 1904 (Fig. 4.1). Kolokotronis or the ‘Old Man’ as he is

nicknamed by Greeks was the beloved war hero of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, and he

inspires and unites Greek people. The sculpture was created by Lazaros Sochos, who was one of

the most distinguished Greek Sculptors, and has won international awards. The statue was

manufactured by L. Gasne, successor of Thiebaut Frères Parisian foundry.

There are no records that the monument has ever been treated before by conservators, although

there are testimonials by museum employees located next to the monument that measures to clean

the monument have taken place in the past. It was chosen for our campaign of “Protect our Outdoor

Bronze Monuments”, because of its importance to the Greek people and no thorough examination

exists describing its details of construction or its current condition.

Construction

The monument stands around 9m from the ground on a marble base that has bronze relief

representations of war scenes on either side of the base also created by Sochos in 1895 and 1897

(Fig. 4.2).

Figure 4.2.: Bronze plaque made in 1895 and located on marble base, which depicts Kolokotronis with his raised

sword leading the Greek troops, and successfully fighting off the Turks. Sochos is also depicted among the Greek

troops. Credit?

42

The base was designed by the architect Alexander Nikoloudis and made by the sculptor Ioannis

Karakatsanis using two types of marble, Kokkinara and Pentelic for the three levels of the base.

Further inspection of the monument indicates that it was cast in 5 separate pieces, the helmet, the

upper body, the lower body with horse and base, the head of the horse, and the tail of the horse (Fig.

4.3)

Figure 4.3.:ndicates the soldered join of the Horse’s tail to the body of the horse. Credit?

The horse’s reins, gunpowder holder, and straps on Kolokotronis were added to the monument as

separate pieces. All pieces were soldered in place and/or held together with screws. For example,

the helmet has 3 screws (at both sides and back of the head), and has stucco covering the entire

periphery of the join of the helmet to the head of Kolokotronis (Fig. 4.4).

Figure 4.4.: Shows the stucco that was used to help secure the helmet to the head of Kolokotronis. Credit?

Location of

soldered

join

between

tail and

horse’s

body.

Location of

join of

helmet to

head using

stucco.

43

This unrefined join of the helmet stands out to the rest of the sculpture, where the soldered parts can

barely be identified due to its fine craftsmanship. Closer inspection of the helmet provides further

evidence as to why Lazaros Sochos produced such a rough join on the helmet. An epigraphy was

found behind the tail of the helmet, which reads “Despite Soho’s will, my Kolokotronis wears again

the helmet, Paris 190(9 or 2?) (Fig. 4.5). A mould of the epigraphy was taken and using a scanning

electron microscope it was possible to determine that the last digit in the date is actually 2. (Fig.

4.6).

Figure 4.5.: Indicates the location where Sochos placed his objection to the placement of the helmet on Kolokotronis.

Credit?

Figure 4.6.: Mould of the inscription at the back of the helmet. Credit?

The epigraphy on the helmet makes it clear that the artist’s intention for his sculpture was

overridden by the desire of a committee, who commissioned the work.

The bottom part of the sculpture was cast including a bronze base with decorative relief. The bronze

base has four bolts that secure it to the marble base. The sculpture shakes when a hand applies even

slight pressure; such elasticity is needed for the bronze sculpture to prevent it from cracking at the

base.

44

Scientific examination of the monument revealed that the chemical composition of metal to be Cu

89.5%, Zn 4.9%, Sn 5.1% on the heel of the right leg of Kolokotronis and with the same

composition on the front right leg of the horse. This alloy is not the one which resists the best in

corrosive atmospheres but due to the dry climate of Athens, the corrosion of the monument appears

to be limited compared to what could be found in Göteborg and Munich.

Techniques to determine the internal structure of the monument, such as use of an iron skeleton or

lead metal were not applied, because of the location of the monument (in a central location with

passers-by throughout the night and day so that it was not be safe to use low levels of irradiation to

identify the internal structure). However, our discussions with today’s Greek sculptors lead us to

believe that the horse’s legs were cast hollow and were later filled with lead metal, so as to support

the sculpture.

It was common for sculptor’s of this period to artificially patinate with sulphur liver the bronze

monument to give a shiny black appearance. Examination of the bronze monument, in locations

that are sheltered from rain reveals a dark black colour on the surface, most probably the original

surface. The horse’s body has been chased, which provides a rippling reflection of light as opposed

to the smooth metal surface as in the face of Kolokotronis, which provides a steady reflection of

light.

Condition report

The bronze statue

The original appearance of the monument has altered after 100 years of exposure to the pollution of

downtown Athens, with its location in one of the busiest commercial streets in the city. The

sculpture is covered with dirt and debris from the surrounding environment. The top of the sculpture

is light green where it frequently comes in contact with rainwater (Fig. 4.7). Other locations have

signs of disfiguring streaking, caused by the run-off of rainwater or acid attack through the

condensation of water vapour (Fig. 4.8). In locations that water does not frequent, dirt and debris

has accumulated, and slowly formed thick hard black crusts (Fig. 4.9). Scientific analysis of the

corrosion layers revealed that the black crusts are made up of different mixtures of gypsum, quartz,

calcite, atacamite and crystalline carbon due to soot. The presence of soot particles gives the crust

its black colour. This is typically found on bronze monuments of such age.

Examination underneath the crusts revealed the presence of a red-brown layer, most probably

cuprite, a stable corrosion product. Other corrosion products detected were atacamite, copper

sulphate hydroxide, copper sulphate hydrate, all typically found on outdoor bronze monuments in

Europe. Malachite was also detected, which is more uncommon to find on outdoor monuments.

45

Figure 4.7.: Green patches on Bronze Sculpture. Credit?

Figure 4.8.: Streaking on Horse’s body. Credit?

46

Figure 4.9.: Signs of thick black crusts on Bronze sculpture. Credit?

A few very minor cracks were located in the monument at join (top of horse) and at the side of the

horse. Also, two screws were missing from the reins of the horse. Finally, many scratches possibly

made with a scalpel were found at the sides of the horse and underneath horse’s stirrup. This leads

us to believe that someone had tried to clean the sculpture before (Fig. 4.10). Otherwise, such

damaging marks may have occurred when the monument was moved from the top of Kolokotronis

Street to its current location in 1954.

Figure 4.10.: Evidence of scratches on bottom of stirrup. Credit?

47

The marble base

The marble base has many conservation problems caused by the polluted environment and

vandalism. The top part of the base with decorated relief has the most problems with areas of thick

black crusts (Fig. 4.11), cracks, and even missing sections of the decoration (Fig. 4.12). Scientific

analysis of the black crusts indicates that it contains gypsum and soot. The cracks and green stains

have formed from run-off of water from the bronze monument (Fig. 4.11). Many locations in

decorated sections of the marble base have a sugary appearance, which reduces the decorated relief

representation. Also, in many sections on the base exist purplish black stains caused by

microbiological attack to the marble. A more frustrating problem is the disfiguring graffiti in front

of the base at the epigraphy (Fig. 4.13). Felt tip marker has been used to write two large words.

Previous measures were taken to remove this graffiti, which unfortunately etch the surface of the

marble, which was later disguised using white paint and gesso. Finally, careful examination has

revealed that most probably the marble was coated with either a wax or oil from a previous

treatment for its protection.

Figure 4.11. Black crusts and green stains on upper part of marble base. Credit?

48

Figure 4.12.: Cracks caused by water run off. Credit?

The bronze plaques were in excellent condition when compared to the sculpture or the marble base.

Conservation plan

The conservation treatment was conducted in two phases, first the bronze sculpture and then its

marble base with side bronze plaques. The first approach was the following: removal for the

sculpture and the base of external material that may continue to actively corrode or deteriorate the

metal or marble ; further cleaning may be conducted to bring out decorative details that are lost in

the corrosion layers ; touch ups to the colour or restorations for missing parts conducted to improve

the aesthetic appearance of the monument and finally, application of a protective coating to help to

slow down any further alterations to the surface appearance and to allow for easy removal of future

applications of graffiti.

Conservation treatment

For the bronze sculpture, all dirt, debris, soot, and other soluble corrosion products was removed

with soft filtered water under pressure and a mild soap, used commonly in metals conservation. As

much dirt was removed as possible without harming the metal surface or the patina underneath.

Then mechanical cleaning using a scalpel and other tools was conducted to remove black crusts to

reveal decorative detail. Care was taken not to remove the stable cuprite layer underneath the black

crusts. In some locations, it was decided not to remove the black crust at all, because revealing the

cuprite layer on large surfaces, such as the side of the horse’s head would alter considerably the

colour of the darkly patinated surface. This followed our decision not to use any chemicals to clean

or tone down variations in colour on the metal surface. Such a decision was necessary, because

once the scaffolding is gone, the sculpture cannot be easily approached by the conservator to be

assured that with time the surface is not affected by possible residual chemicals that may have

remained on the surface after treatment. Also, the public from below cannot see with great detail

slight variations in surface colour. After mechanical cleaning, the surface was rewashed with soft

filtered water and degreased using acetone. A protective microcrystalline wax coating (TeCero

3534F, Tromm Company) was applied by heating the metal surface to around 100°C. The wax

coating also toned down the variations in colour, and gave the surface a darker appearance than

before, as was the artist’s original intention. The bronze plaques on the base, due to their excellent

condition, were simply washed and waxed as described above. No further mechanical cleaning was

required.

49

For the marble base, any disfiguring variations in colour caused by black crusts or green stains is

easily detected by passers-by. Thus, dirt, debris, black crusts, green stains, and graffiti had to be

removed as much as possible without harming the marble. First dirt, debris, and other soluble

products were removed with soft water saturated with calcium sulphate (explain why). For efficient

treatment, it was deemed necessary to remove black crusts and green stains using pastes with

absorbent clays (which chemicals in the paste?), which were thoroughly rinsed off with filtered

water. This treatment was time consuming, since it was conducted in stages with careful

examination to ensure the marble was not affected. Some mechanical cleaning with scalpel for

careful in-depth probing and removal of the black crusts was necessary in the decorated relief. Then

the decorative relief was consolidated. It proved impossible to remove the purplish-black stains

caused by biological attack, which could only be toned down in colour.

More problematic was the removal of the graffiti made with felt tip marker, which was located in a

visible location and disfigured the monument. The felt tip marker had penetrated the porous surface

of the marble after many years. The only recourse was to destroy the marker with a paste

containing a chlorinated solvent. This paste did not completely remove all traces of the marker.

After consultation it was decided not to disguise the remaining graffiti, so that the public may

become sensitised to the destructive and the permanent affect of graffiti. Then the entire marble was

covered with a protective coating of anti-graffiti product, which contains wax, so that any

subsequent vandalism with paint or felt-tip marker can be more easily removed. The epigraphy both

on the front and back of the base was retouched only with black paint.

Finally, it was decided not to replace the missing parts in the decorative relief. Fitting in new pieces

of worked marble in the decorated sections, would require that some of the original marble would

have to be removed. The missing parts were deemed not to affect the overall aesthetic appearance

of the base, and thus it was decided to not restore these sections.

The final appearance of the monument after treatment can be seen in the Figures below (which

one).

Fig…

Lekaditis bust

Conclusions

A total of 12 conservators at different times worked on the monument for an operation that lasted

just over 2 months. This does not include the scientists, historical researcher, photographer, and

videoscoper who aided in the documentation and analysis phase of the conservation work. Also,

technicians from the Municipality of Athens were responsible for raising the scaffolding and

ensuring safety in operating the electricity and water on-site. The total cost of the operation was

around 35.000 Euros without profit. Do such operations mean that the monument will not have to

be maintained? It will be necessary to reapply the protective coatings both on the bronze sculpture

and marble base every 3-5 years based on the experience in Germany and Sweden, at a much lower

cost to that of the original treatment. Such preventive measures will ensure minimal changes to the

50

surface appearance of the bronze and marble, and will prevent subsequent retreatment at a later

stage.

The conservation treatment of the Kolokotronis monument made front-page news, and appeared

several times on television new channels in Greece. The public frequently stopped the conservators

at work to shout up words of support and to find out more information about the project. The

public’s message was clear; Athenians adore their ‘Old Man’, and very much want to keep him

bright and shiny. Our public campaign to Protect our Outdoor Bronze Monuments has succeeded.

By Vasilike Argyropoulos

4.2.b. Monuments in Göteborg

In Göteborg, three bronze sculptures were selected for this project. The largest sculpture was “The

knife-wrestlers” and the treatment will be described below while the two smaller sculptures “The

haze” and “Wadman” are only shortly presented.

The knife-wrestlers

History of the monument

The Swedish sculptor Johan Peter Molin (1814-73) first exhibited “The knife-wrestlers” in Paris

1859 (Fig. 4.). The sculpture is from the National Romantic period, a part of the Nordic history

when the Nordic myths and tales inspired the art. In “The knife-wrestlers” Molin made a dramatic

interpretation with realism in figures and movements.

Figure 4..: ”The knife-wrestlers” before conservation. The whole sculpture is 3.43 m height and the postament is 1.97

m in length. The second relief is viewed from this side. Credit: Claes Jansson.

The original sculpture exhibited in Paris was made of zinc and was painted to achieve the

appearance of green bronze. After exhibition in Paris and London it arrived in Göteborg and was

placed outdoors in the city. The bronze surface had to be regularly repainted and by time the thick

layers deformed the sculptural details. This aesthetic problem raised a discussion in the community.

51

Finally in 1912 funds were raised for casting a new copy of the sculpture, this time in real bronze.

In 1913 the new bronze sculpture, weighting 1400 kg, cast at Otto Mayer’s foundry in Stockholm,

arrived in Göteborg by train.

The tale on the monument

The monument (Fig 4. and 4.) shows two muscular men with knifes in their hands fighting against

each other when linked together with a belt around their waists. This was an old Nordic way of

fighting described in the tales.

Figure 4.2: Before conservation. Close-up of “The knife-wrestlers”. Credit: Claes Jansson.

The four reliefs around the postament and the runes tell more of the tale. Ragnar and Björn are

foster brothers, now Vikings in the West. When they return home they both fall in love with Gerda,

a beautiful woman living in their house. The love slowly tears the bond of brotherhood apart. The

first relief shows when Gerda gives mead to the brothers that are tense and wordless. The fight is a

fact when Björn break the silence and stretches his arm towards Gerda (relief two, fig. 4.1). In the

third relief (Fig. 4.) Gerda is pleading for the brother’s lives. The end of the tale is a tragedy where

the girl grieves the dead men and their friendship.

Figure 4..: Before conservation. The third relief on the postament of “The knife-wrestlers”. Credit: Claes Jansson.

52

Construction and original appearance

The whole monument is 3.43 m high and the size of the men is somewhat less than natural man

size. The bronze is cast in many pieces that are joined together. The composition of the bronze is

given in table 4.1. It can be classified among the corrosion resistant alloy. When the whole

monument was lifted for transport to the conservation workshop the inside revealed some joints

showing folds with screws (Fig 4.).

Element

Cu

Sn

Pb

Zn

Fe

Ni

Ag

Sb

As

Bi

Co

Au

Cd

Conc.

%

91,11

8,00

0,2

0,04

0,02

0,04

0,5

<0,025

<0,005

<0,01

<0,001

Table 4.1.: ICP analysis of “the knife-wrestlers” by Josef Riederer, Rathgen-Forschungslabor, Berlin, Oct.2001.

Figure 4..: Interior parts of “The knife-wrestlers”. The ceiling of the postament and the runes above the relief are

viewed. The bronze peg in the middle is one of only two joins between the upper part of the sculpture and the

postament. Photo: Helena Strandberg.

Originally, the surface on the sculpture was black, shiny and smooth, carefully chased and

artificially patinated with sulphur liver before the inauguration in 1914. The appearance has

changed during the 20th century due to the polluted environment and activities around the sculpture.

Today, many patches from repairs of casting defects appear on the surface. These were not visible

originally due to the artificial patination but have appeared by time in the corrosion layer.

The monument and the surrounding

The sculpture is placed in the busy central public commercial street in Göteborg where many

people, as well as cars and trams, are passing day and night. It is viewed from a close perspective

and is frequently touched. Events often occur around this sculpture and the postament is used as a

shelter and background for various activities that leave traces on the monument.

Condition and causes

Before conservation, the sculpture appeared much dirtier and more corroded than others from the

same age in Göteborg (Fig 4.1, 4.2, 4.3). The legibility had decreased due to thick deposits of soot,

dust, scrawl, sticky stuff and corrosion, especially on the postament. Traces of white paint were

visible originating from an occasion of vandalism in the 1960’s were all the sculpture was covered

in paint.

53

The original dark smooth surface, viewed on old photos, that was probably dominant until the

1970’s, was not evident any more. Instead, the sculpture appeared mainly light green and streaked

before conservation. Thick black rough corrosion crusts also covered many parts sheltered from

rain. Under these crusts, corrosion was active in pits with green corrosion. Analysis confirmed

(nantokite beneath the black crust) that the sculpture suffered from bronze disease that is caused by

high amounts of chlorides.

The fourth relief heading towards the street had a damaged porous surface with no original patina.

The sculpture probably have been blasted or treated with acid previously when cleaned from scrawl

and paint.

The largest problem though was a beige opaque and rough concrete-like deposit all over the

skyward surfaces on the monument, which was very difficult to remove. X-ray diffraction analysis

showed that the deposit contained a range of concrete mineral fillers (albite, quartz, high-temp

quartz, gypsum from calcite, and microcline), which confirmed that the deposit was concrete

probably originating from construction work in the proximity.

To sum up, the bad condition of this sculpture is mainly caused by its very exposed position to

traffic and diverse human activities. Moreover, it has not been sheltered when constructions have

been built in the proximity and not been cleaned in a proper way previously.

Conservation plan

The purpose of the conservation treatment was:

- to respect the aesthetic, historic, and physical integrity of the object according to the

conservation ethics.

- to perform minimum intervention, i.e. not remove the ”original patina” and preserve the

light-green corrosion layer on the etched rain-exposed parts.

- to remove disfiguring deposits of concrete, soil, sand and soot and some corrosion

products.

- to protect and consolidate the patina layer with a suitable wax.

- to integrate colour contrast by the wax treatment.

Conservation treatment

The cleaning included removal of deposits, scrawl, paint and some corrosion; with water, soft

brushes and scalpels. On some smaller parts chemicals were used. The green patina on the etched

rain-stroked parts, protecting the metal was preserved. In some parts the green layer was removed to

uncover the black original patina that was found closest to the metal.

The thin hard concrete layer deposited on the surface, could only be removed with effort by

scalpels. This was a very time consuming treatment and therefore only some important parts were

cleaned this way.

Afterwards, a thin wax (TeCero 3534F, Tromm Company) layer was applied for aesthetic reasons

and to protect the surface from the rough outdoor environment. The wax paste was applied with

brushes on a heated bronze surface. Figures 4… show the sculpture and some details after

treatment.

54

Figure 4.: ”The knife-wrestlers” after conservation. Credit: Claes Jansson.

Figure 4.: After conservation. Close-up Close-up of “The knife-wrestlers”. Credit: Claes Jansson.

Figure 4.: After conservation. The third relief on the postament of “The knife-wrestler”. Photo: Claes Jansson.

55

“The Haze”

This sculpture was first made in gypsum in 1885 by G. Lindberg. It was later cast in bronze 1914

and placed in a park in Göteborg. The sculpture was probably patinated green originally.

Figure 4..: “The haze” before conservation. Credit: Claes Jansson.

The patina on “The Haze” was mainly smooth and light green but etched in a cracked pattern on

rain-striking parts (Fig 4.). In some parts there was a yellowish smooth beautiful patina. The surface

was very gently washed not to destroy the green patina, and the black crust was cleaned with a

scalpel, before the patina was consolidated with wax (Fig. 4.).

Figure 4.9.: “The haze” after conservation. Credit: Claes Jansson

Wadman bust

The bust of J. A. Wadman is one of the oldest outdoor bronzes in Göteborg and was sculptured by

J. P. Molin 1969. It was treated about the same way as “The knife-wrestlers” though it was much

easier to clean since it had always been placed in a park shielded from traffic.

56

Figure 4.1..: “Wadman” before conservation. Credit: Claes Jansson.

Figure 4.11.: “Wadman” after conservation. Credit: Claes Jansson.

By Helena Strandberg

4.2.c. Monuments in Munich

Due to the complexity of the monument considered, the Amazone, no other monument was treated

during the project.

The Amazone

The Amazone was cast in 1935, unveiled in 1936. These dates were unknown before the beginning

of that project. Photographs of the foundry with the Amazone appearing out of the casting mould

have been found since. The monument simply represents an Amazone sitting on horseback. It is a

full-size reproduction of a smaller bronze Amazone by the famous Munich painter Franz von Stuck

which had been produced short before 1900.

With the Amazone, Franz von Stuck followed a popular style of fairy-tale human-animal creatures

which was very much appreciated by the Munich citizens. More than 20 of those small Amazones

57

are known. The big Amazone we are considering here was cast after Stuck’s death and put in front

of the Villa Stuck posthum.

Figure 4.?.: The Amazone sitting on horseback, before restoration. Credit Bavarian State Department of Historical

Monuments.

The Amazone has been selected for this project because of its special colouring consisting of

pigmented and gilded layers. Red pigments are found on the Amazone’s hair and gilding is used on

the helmet (Fig. 4. and 4.) and the horse’s mane and tail. In Germany colouring on outdoor bronze

monuments is rare to find.

Figure 4..?: The Amazone in front of the Villa Stuck Museum, Munich, in 1990. Gilded and painted areas are visible.

Credit Christian Gruber.

58

Fig. 4.?: Cross-section through an embedded paint layer sample from the red hair of the Amazone. Maximum layer

thickness 150



m. Credit Martin Mach.

The corrosion of the sculpture looks similar to other bronze monuments in Munich which normally

appear with a green and black patina. The heavy corrosion of the Amazone is to some part due to

the alloy (Tab.4.2) which is not very corrosion resistant (due to its rather low tin content) and due to

the situation close to a big street with about 50.000 vehicles passing by per day.

Element

Cu

Sn

Pb

Zn

Fe

Ni

Ag

Sb

As

Bi

Co

Au

Cd

Conc.

%

86,34

4,56

1,21

7,28

0,16

0,29

0,02

0,13

<0,1

<0,025

<0,005

<0,01

<0,001

Table 4.2.: ICP analysis of the Amazone by Josef Riederer, Rathgen-Forschungslabor, Berlin, Oct.2001.

As expected the green areas (streaking) of the surface are found on exposed parts of the sculpture

whereas in sheltered parts more or less thick black crusts appear. Although it is only 66 years old, it

shows the same corrosion effects as sculptures which are about 150 years or older.

Conservation plan

The basic conservation strategy for the Amazone has been similar to most of other bronze

monuments. It was decided to clean the surface from dirt and to put a microcrystalline wax (TeCero

3534F, Tromm Company) on it that might possibly be slightly pigmented in black to give an

impression of the original outlook.

The gilded and pigmented parts of the sculpture have been cleaned. This cleaning has been

performed mechanically due to the small amount of the gold layer.

After the cleaning also the coloured parts of the figure will be been coated with a microcrystalline

wax (not chosen yet). A wax having a slightly lower melting point than the TeCero 3534F will be

preferred. This and the sticking properties of the wax seem to be most suitable to consolidate the

fragile rests of the colouring and gilding.

There was a serious damage on the right arm of the Amazone, close to the shoulder: one of the big

iron screws which join the arm and the body of the Amazone was heavily corroded and had blown

out a covering bronze patch (Fig. 4..?). So the rest of the bronze patch and the iron screw has been

removed and cleaned and finally the patch has been replaced.

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Fig. 4.?: Detail: damage at the right upper arm of the Amazone caused by an interior rusting iron screw. Credit:

Martin Mach.

There was a further damage on the right foreleg of the horse. Also in this case a small bronze patch

had been pressed out by the rusting armature.

Another problem is the joining of the sculpture with the base because until now it was only standing

loosely upon the base. In fact the sculpture had been moved some centimetres out of the centre of

the base. It might be knocked over its base by vandalists. As a consequence an appropriate join will

have to be constructed. The basic idea is to have a reversible joint. Under the plinth of the Amazone

are two unused bronze nuts with interior threads. Stainless steel rods will be fitted into these threads

and will be sticked into concentric cylindric tubes which will be fixed to the base. So it will be

possible to lift the Amazone from its base in a vertical direction but it will not be possible to knock

it from its base by a horizontal impact.

By Anke Doktor and Martin Mach

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CHAPTER 5

A Maintenance Plan

The damages on the monuments today are mainly caused by the bad environmental situation and a

lack of care. So obviously, apart from the improvement of the air quality, it is of great importance to

check the bronze monuments regularly.

But how can this be initiated? First of all there has to be financial support for any step of

maintaining an object. In most cases it is difficult to receive funds from the municipal authority.

Strangely it is easier to raise money for a big restoration that gets much public attention than to

support the maintenance with small amounts for a regular care.

After all the public has to become interested in the monument. It would be much easier if a kind of

association or organization could identify itself with the sculpture. A possibility could be for

example to sell the monument for a symbolic price of 1 Euro or simply give it as a present so that

the association is only responsible for the maintenance. It will surely find funds for an annual

cleaning and waxing. The aim should always be to make the public aware of the importance of the

maintenance of a monument. If this has been achieved, there may be a sponsor to be found who will

finance the restoration and of course be responsible for the care later on. These ideas are not very

new. In the late 19th century for example the foundry-men already appealed to the public to do a

cleaning of the sculptures every Saturday evening.

This is also the way that Sweden has developed in the last decades, selling out the property in

common to the market. But the disadvantages of this method are obvious, too. Sponsorship is soon

the only way for culture to exist. It may be a point to let associations be responsible - if they are

rich. Small associations will probably never pay for conservation.

Often an extensive restoration is most impressive for the public and the results are in most cases

very good. However conservation should not be restricted to these occasional and very expensive

measures. Regular care is just as important for a sculpture, otherwise after three years without care,

it will be in a bad condition again. Metal monuments are objects that need constant attention.

Therefore it is important for outdoor bronze sculptures to receive a regular annual service. After the

cleaning of the bronze surface with water and brushes usually a wax coating will be applied. This

kind of conservation has to be controlled and renewed every two years, at fountain sculptures even

every year. Therefore normally contracts with self-employed restorers are made.

A maintenance plan can also include yearly inspections, yearly cleaning with water, a control of all

measures performed concerning cultural objects and a documentation of all measures in a database.

The yearly inspection are occasions to check the overall state of the monument, the breakdown of

the coating on the bronze sculpture and how the patina or the corrosion layers are behaving. As a

result measures are taken to clean the non adherent deposits which may favour the corrosion

processes and to apply locally a new wax layer. Decisions about more important interventions

might be taken too and budgets planned.

Usually visits are conducted by professionals who are aware of corrosion processes on bronze

monuments. Their approach is then based on their experience. No monitoring technique tested until

now is performing well enough to assist them in their maintenance decision. It is then difficult to

61

tell exactly when and why some interventions are needed. It might happen that the corrosion that

has taken place is not so damaging for the monument (tarnishing) and the intervention is then based

only on aesthetic reasons.

If administrations have to be convinced to fund maintenance programs, they need to know why this

maintenance is needed and how much it will cost. In the following some original proposals are

made to give arguments to professionals to promote such maintenance programmes.

By Anke Doktor and Martin Mach

5.1 Athens experience

The city of Athens has not really any experience on maintenance programmes. When some damage

occurs on monuments (graffiti), an intervention is not always decided (except for Truman statue, as

I remember…).

Due to the interest of the City in the conservation of the Kolotronis monument, it has been decided

that a maintenance programme would be set up for this monument which could then be applied to

other monuments. As mentioned before, the study of the condition of the Kolotronis monument

revealed that the sculpture was not heavily corroded. The conservation treatment was then quite

basic and did not conduct to any dismantling and consolidation of the whole structure.

The maintenance of this monument does not seem to be an impossible task in that condition. But

the question is to know when the interventions will be needed. Monitoring techniques have then to

be developed. The team of professionals tried different tools for documenting and analysing the

condition state of the sculpture as it is now. Video films, X-fluorescence measurements at specific

areas and replicas of the surface were realised once the treatment was achieved and will be

compared to new results obtained in the future (when and how often?) to see how the sculpture

behaves with time.

Pictures are needed here.

Based on these data, it will be possible to propose a good maintenance programme and to budget it.

This approach will be then applied to other monuments in Athens exposed to a similar environment.

A survey of all the bronze monuments in Athens has first been conducted in parallel to the

programme and was based on the database established for this project. This survey has shown that

most of the monuments were suffering from graffiti applications. Otherwise they were in quite good

condition as it has been described previously.

A policy of cleaning of these graffiti as soon as possible will be needed before conducting a

conservation treatment.

By Vasilike Argyropoulos

62

5.2 Göteborg experience

Bronze monuments mean very much for the people who live in Göteborg and for the people who

visit the city. In the Municipality of Göteborg, where the Parks- and nature administration is caring

for the main part of the public art in the city, the consciousness have just awaken that outdoor art

will not last forever and that they will presumably last longer if they are cared for.

Until recently care for outdoor monuments have been neglected in Göteborg as well as in other

cities in Scandinavia. Maintenance has mainly been considered for functional damages, e.g. in

fountains, and sometimes for removal of graffiti and scrawl. Today, the only maintenance of

sculptures in Göteborg is cleaning after exposure to scrawl. The cleaning is done by building and

cleaning enterprises using methods that are not always the best for the monuments. Accordingly,

there is a lot to work for in this field.

The formulation of a conservation policy for outdoor art in Göteborg would be a great step in the

right direction. It could include how to regulate the antiquarian control for all measures concerning

cultural objects. It should also tell about how to take care of the monuments, and which

qualifications those who make the practical work ought to have, maybe some kind of certificate for

enterprises. Proper documentation of all the artworks and measures performed is necessary as well.

A database for the sculptures in Göteborg is now existing but need to be extended and updated.

These are all important issues to start with taking a step further in protecting our outdoor bronze

monuments.

By Helen Svenstam and Helena Strandberg

5.3 Munich experience

The restoration and maintenance work performed by the Municipality of Munich and the Bavarian

State Department of Historical Monuments is based on a few assumptions that will be discussed

below. It has led to the following conclusions and practical hints with respect to maintenance.

5.3.a. The maintenance procedure and the basic philosophy behind

Every few years there are friendly suggestions by non-professionals interested in conservation to

analyse the preservation state of all monuments made out of metal scientifically and then to classify

them according to their degree of corrosion, soiling, graffitti and other criteria, all classifications

being based upon quantitative data only. Further on it is suggested to design a restoration and

maintenance plan which would foresee a clearly defined measure for each category. At the first

sight this might sound thoroughly reasonable and as a really logical and scientific way to proceed.

But when thought to the end it becomes obvious that such a procedure would in fact tend to

transform our monuments to homogeneous classes of uniform objects. Nobody would really want

that e.g. all wrought iron crosses of a cemetery would have exactly the same finish and the same

visual age appearance or that all bronze monuments would look just the same in spite of their

individual significance, their varying history and age.

It must furthermore be accepted as a part of our cultural diversity that some monuments tend to get

more attention and care by the public, whereas others might be rejected and that the interest in the

monuments as a whole will depend very much on the given economic and political situation.

63

Nevertheless probably all of us will agree that some basic care should be applied to all monuments,

so there will and should be a kind of typical restoration and maintenance procedure approach. This

approach as a rule will be not as rigid as the strict classification approach mentioned above but has

turned out as a good working solution in practice.

The philosophy behind maintenance is to avoid harsh cleaning and expensive restorations measures

by means a regular but mild cleaning and conservation procedure. This will at the same time

preserve the individual character of the monuments and broaden the intervals of restorations. All

bronze monuments therefore should be carefully cleaned on a yearly basis. Conservation coatings

should be checked and partially reapplied.

In case further steps like removal of crusts or new conservation measures should be considered as

necessary, care must be taken that this is in fact done by a professional restorer and that the

procedure will not be harmful to the monument or its patina layers. The term 'cleaning' tends to be

misinterpreted by untrained or not properly trained personnel. It has happened that the outer surface

of monuments was in fact completely destroyed by what was considered a 'cleaning procedure', e.g.

by sandblasting or acid treatment. Any kind of change in the maintenance procedure, above all the

use of new methods, should be discussed and decided by a group of conservation professionals.

5.3.b. Regular routine inspections - intervals and aims of the inspection

Though any type of appropriate surface conservation will persist for more than only one year,

a yearly inspection of each bronze monument is advisable. This inspection should also include a

look for possibly missing or deformed parts, for traces of rusty runoff indicating interior problems,

for graffitti and -which in fact happens rarely- newly formed cracks.

5.3.c. The financial and administrative basis

There must be a solid financial and administrative basis in order to implement and to carry on with

the maintenance procedure.

Of course there are many different styles in how to achieve and promote maintenance. As

maintenance is always a long-term issue it must be associated to long lasting administrational

structures, not to temporary projects. Nevertheless a project might help to attract private people's

and institutions' interests and can help to provide some funding.

There must be some kind of permanent active interest raising (public relations) and fund raising for

the monuments in order to guarantee mid-range and long-range maintenance. It might be also a

good practice to have restoration costs linked to subsequent maintenance costs, that means that an

institution that is willing to pay for a restoration should be asked to pay for subsequent maintenance

as well.

When looking back in history we will find nice examples of how long-term monuments' care was

planned already before 1900. There are examples of special foundations taking care for individual

monuments. It was also decided to have festivities around the monuments every year in order to

attract the public's attention to them and to have individual bank accounts for the regular inspection

and care of the monuments. As has been learnt in Germany even those wise precautions were soon

superseded by wars, economical crises, political changes and a lack of public interest.

64

As soon as the positive input ceases, controlling and cost cutting units within the administrations

and regional authorities will tend to cancel the respective funds in favour of other, seemingly more

urgent tasks. So the maintenance activities will always reflect the overall political and economical

situation and the number and power of individuals interested in the monuments. This also implies

that all of us can help in some way to contribute to perform a good job on the monuments or might

just remain lazy.

By Martin Mach

65

Conclusion

It is difficult to give a common approach for the management, conservation and maintenance of

outdoor bronze monuments from so different experiences. If the management and the conservation

are following strict rules in Munich, it is because the town has a long experience in the field and a

competent staff working everyday with professionals. In Göteborg, the professionals exist but the

administration has just realised how important it is to define specific methodology of management

and conservation for these monuments. In Athens, the subject is more or less completely new.

We have seen that the first step is the protection of the monuments. Once this work is done, the next

step is to have a team of professionals to deal with the specific problem of these monuments. This

team could include an art historian, a conservator, a scientist who would be in charge of the

documentation, the conservation and the maintenance of the monuments. If the states have to

initiate the project, the citizens interest in their monuments has to be restored. Publicity campaigns

are here needed.

Any conservation work cannot be done without considering the future maintenance of the

monument. Conservation strategies are globally the same all around Europe. What is different from

one country to another is the facilities and the staff dedicated to the conservation of these

monuments. Here rich western countries are favoured.

Maintenance guidelines exist in each country. Some are basic and are applied in all countries.

Others are most specific and depend on the particular interest of citizens or on tools developed with

the experience.

66

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