Fiorella Lavado

The Angel, attributed to John Thomas and the Thames Bank Workshop, is a 19th century sculpture carved from Anston limestone. The sculpture underwent previous treatments in 2007 and 2008, focusing on laser cleaning to address the sulphation crust and applying ammonium bicarbonate poultices. These treatments were left incomplete. 

The client’s brief was to complete previous treatments, focusing on cleaning the sculpture to achieve a cohesive appearance, matching the previous level of intervention and to reattach an original wing fragment.

Material analysis, reattaching the wing fragment, consolidating and capping delaminated areas. Laser cleaning was performed to remove the sulphation crust and blend previous treatment lines. Mechanical removal of accretions and wet cleaning methods were used to reduce surface discolouration and dust deposits. The proper right side of the shield was lightly toned where the carving had lost definition. Detailed documentation was maintained throughout the treatment process.