|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restoration of the rooms of French art in the
Winter Palace In May 2005, work was completed on one of the largest scale projects begun in 2004: the multifaceted restoration of rooms of French art of the 16th-18th and 19th-20th centuries located in the Winter Palace. The State Hermitage implemented this project with financial support from the French financial institutions Credit Agricole S.A. and Caisse des depots et consignations. The work was carried out by the State Hermitage's Special Scientific Restoration Workshops as well as by Beta-Com Ltd, Lumir Ltd and Vozrozhdenie Peterburga Ltd. Before the start of the restoration, work was done to lay down new cables for supply of electricity, communications, alarm signals and lighting systems. In the rooms on the first floor of the Winter Palace (272-281), where there is splendid artistic decorative finishing, work was done to clean the plaster mouldings and painted ceilings, restore the artificial and natural marble surfaces. This included plastering, as well as repair to door panels and the wooden window frames. The system of lighting on the first floor was completely changed. In addition to chandeliers, which were restored as part of the project, spotlights were added in the cornices along the walls, making it possible to provide greater illumination to the paintings. Rather complicated problems arose during the restoration of rooms on the second floor (316-322, 333, 343-350). In these rooms which face south, there was no ventilation and in summer it became hot and stuffy. The project provided for cleaning the existing ventilation ducts in the walls so as to supply fresh air to the rooms. Exhaust ventilation was established by placing a vertical duct in the ceilings leading to the attic. All the ducts came together in a single ventilation system in the attic within the "ÂÆ-2°" thermal centre. A great deal of work was done to restore the parquet floors. In the process of restoration, new parquet was laid down in some of the passageways. When cleaning the window casements, it was found that the historic appearance of the windows had been altered in the past: small window panes and transoms had been eliminated. It was decided to recreate the windows in keeping with historic samples that have been saved. The lighting of the rooms was also changed. Light from lighting fixtures joined together to form rectangles now falls on the paintings indirectly from top down. The project provided as well for changing the system of attaching the labels for exhibit items. The new labels are fixed to removable brackets set into metal strips attached to the walls. The special feature of this system is that the brackets can be freely moved along the metal strips on the walls, and this is especially convenient when paintings are replaced or re-hung. Special attention was devoted to the painting of the walls on the second floor. Prior to the restoration, they all were the same grey colour. Bearing in mind that these rooms form an integral enfilade, the walls were now painted different colours, with a transition from grey to beige, green and brown. |
|
|||||
|
Copyright © 2006 State
Hermitage Museum |
