On February 19, 20 and 21, the "The XIII Conference of Church Museum Professionalsorganized by the Episcopal Commission for Cultural Heritage of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and the Association of Museologists of the Church in Spain (AMIE), which this year focused on the "...".Silverware and Church Museums. Study, conservation and diffusion". In this framework, GRANDA Art Workshops was invited to participate in a round table discussion on restoration and conservation, in which Ms. Francisca Soto, director of our Conservation and Restoration DepartmentIn his presentation, he explained two major interventions carried out by our company in recent years, in the the whole of the monstrance of the S. I. P. Cathedral of Toledo. and in the Holy Ark of the S. I. Cathedral of Oviedo.
The conference was inaugurated by Msgr. Juan Asenjo PelegrinaArchbishop of Seville and President of the Episcopal Commission for Cultural Heritage, D. Pablo Delclaux de MullerDirector of the E. C. Secretariat for Cultural and Natural Heritage, Director of the E. C. Secretariat for Cultural and Natural Heritage, Director of the E. C. Secretariat for Cultural and Natural Heritage D. Francisco José Alegría RuizPresident of AMIE. The lectures were given by recognized experts in the field of silverware research.
D. Antonio Martínez SubíasDiocesan Delegate for Artistic and Documentary Heritage and Sacred Art of the Archbishopric of Tarragona, presented the "Types of liturgical silverware according to Juan de Arfe". Through the types collected by the famous silversmith and treatise writer Juan de Arfe (1535-1603), he discussed the origin, function and liturgical significance of the main types of objects that we continue to use today in worship. Mr. Jesús Rivas CarmonaProfessor of Art History at the University of Murcia and coordinator of the prestigious annual publication "Estudios de Platería San Eloy", gave the lecture "Silverware and Symbol", focused on the intrinsic meaning and immaterial value of silverware as an expression of the Liturgy and popular piety. Mr. José Manuel Cruz ValdovinosProfessor Emeritus of Art History at the Complutense University of Madrid and initiator of studies on silverware in Spain, lectured on "Exhibiting silver", delving into some of the lesser known types of liturgical and cult silverware, as well as different exhibition experiences and recommendations.
The Conference also dealt with the important issue of the restoration and conservation of silverware works of art in a round table moderated by Ms. Ana Isabel GameroFrancisca Soto Morales from Talleres de Arte Granda, Fernando Marmolejo, a well-known goldsmith from Seville, and Sol Meneses.
Mrs. Francisca Soto presented the two large-scale interventions carried out by Talleres de Arte GRANDA in 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, on the whole of the custody of the Cathedral of Toledo (XV, XVI and XVIII centuries) and the Holy Ark of the Cathedral of Oviedo (XI century). Both were under the technical direction of the Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute (IPCE).) and were sponsored by the respective cathedral councils.
Moment of the assembly of the golden monstrance of the Cathedral of Toledo.
Mrs. Soto began by emphasizing the problems faced in the conservation of metal parts that, moreover, in the case of religious silverware, are kept in use and handled frequently. Due to the fact that they are pieces that preserve their utilitarian aspect, are often the victims of repairs, instead of being treated according to restoration and conservation criteria. that today it would be unthinkable not to apply to other works of art. "Without a doubt we must pay attention to the use and purpose for which they were created.The primary objective, but we cannot forget the liturgical, catechetical, artistic and historical witness and teaching in each of these works.." He recalled some of the damages that recur when they suffer from non-professional interventionsin which it is common to return to polish and polish the partThe valuable fire gilding, the burnishing with agate stone and even the surface decorations have been lost. In inexperienced hands, the pieces also suffer from part substitutions, welding additiona o subjection to heat sourceswhich causes irreversible damage to them both from a material and artistic-historical point of view.
To avoid this type of repairs, he stressed, it is necessary to have a team of qualified professionals and specialists in these interventions.The event is made up of restorers, silversmiths, historians, gemologists and laboratory professionals, among others. Likewise, highlighted the quality of the professionals who are part of the teams and staff of Talleres de Arte Granda in these interventions and thanked them for the opportunity to represent them in this conference.. He then briefly described what both restorations consisted of.
In our channel, you can see two video summaries of the interventions in the the whole of the custody of the Cathedral of Toledo and in the Holy Ark of the Cathedral of Oviedo. Likewise, there is an IPCE publication on the intervention in the Holy Ark, which is available in Spanish and English. available in PDF for free download.
Those attending the Conference were warmly welcomed by the staff of the Archdiocese of Seville and also made several cultural visits organized by the Archdiocese. These included visits to the Episcopal Palace, the Cathedral of Seville, the "Montañés, master of masters" exhibition and the "Montañés, master of masters" exhibition. Basilica of Our Lady of Hope Macarena and its treasure, where Bishop Juan José Asenjo later celebrated Holy Mass.
Attendees at the XIII Conference of Church Museologists after the Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Asenjo Pelegrina in the Basilica of Santa María de la Esperanza Macarena. Photo: Álvaro Heras, Brotherhood of the Macarena.
