direction of the grain—manifested themselves in two planks that were
simultaneously concave at the bottom and convex at the top.Restoration interventions
The painting was followed through its stabilization phases for many years.
During this time, thorough consideration was given to possible working
solutions for consolidating the paint layer, guaranteeing sufficient stability,
and restoring the lost unity ofthe entire work by the application of a sup-
port and control structure for the planks.
The traditional intervention technique often used in such cases
involves destroying the wood and transferring the paint layer to another
support, incurring all the changes and risks connected to this type of opera-
tion. In this case, however, the conservator followed an intervention that
would respond to the criterion of greatest possible respect for the original
components and that would, in addition, allow the possibility for a later
intervention. After evaluating the results on the consolidation of the paint
layer, the author and coworkers designed and carried out the restoration
of the support. This plan required an intervention on each individual
plank to repair the original detached and disjointed plugs, upon removal
from the painted support, by cutting the anchoring nails. Next came the
addition of wooden blocks into the housings of the plugs in a parquet
fashion (Fig. 18).^17 This procedure was followed by a reduction of the
thickness of the plugs to facilitate reestablishment of the level between
the blocks and the surface of the painting.
Each section was adhered again to its own place, so that the
proper level between the edges of the paint layer was re-created (Fig. 19).
The wedge technique was used to close the cracks at the edges of the
planks. Finally, the author inserted into the original tracks of the crossbars
a double layer of small pieces of white poplar, placed in the same grain
direction as the support.
Filling the original tracks with a double-block system superim-
posed widthwise and, especially, lengthwise, responded to the need to
improve the adhesion between the added parts and the original panel, par-
ticularly in the areas where there is an end-grain join (Fig. 20).^18 Next the
planks were rejoined through a slight correction of the edges, so that a
solid union could be obtained by means of wedges.^19 For this operation the332 Castelli
Figure 18, below
Francesco Salviati, The Deposition from the
Cross. Repair of the housings and plugs.
Figure 19, below right
Francesco Salviati, The Deposition from the
Cross. Treatment to re-create the proper level
between the edges of the paint layer.