Using an old trick to restore our decorative ceiling panels
03/06/23
Sometimes it takes an old trick – one once used by Michelangelo, in fact – to restore an old structure. Our friends from EverGreene Architectural Arts recently turned to the art of tracing and using charcoal dust to restore the art on the decorative ceiling panels in the West End Corridor.
Throughout the life of the ceiling, there has been need to repair and retouch the paint and artwork. Over time and with minor adjustments, the artwork on these decorative panels had become slightly distorted, especially the straight lines of the diamond and triangle shapes. EverGreene traced the existing designs and redrew some of the lines based on evidence in the paint film as well as from looking through historical photos.
Once tracing was complete, a “pounce pattern” was created and then perforated with tiny holes with an “electro pounce.” The patterns were then placed over the ceiling panels and rubbed with charcoal dust, transmitting a pencil-like pattern to the surface. Then it was time to bring the panels back to life with the touch of a brush, using the historical colors found during preliminary investigations.
Though ceiling restoration continues in the Great Hall through May, work in the West End Corridor is complete, meaning visitors will soon be able to check out the beautiful details – restored to their original glory!
Watch how it all came together:
