Charlottesville, Virginia

The statue features a standing Jefferson posed atop an inscribed bell with allegorical angels at the four main faces. The angels represent Liberty, Justice, Freedom of Religion, and an un-credited figure which are in recognition of Jefferson’s achievement in composing the Declaration of Independence. The bronze construction is mounted on a Rosso Antico Marble base in the middle of a plaza below the northern steps to the Rotunda, a prominent location for the University of Virginia’s (UVA) founder.

The statue itself was in fairly good condition, although some elements–the sword, crown, and scales of Justice, and the sword of Liberty–were missing. The base however had losses and spalls over the majority of its faces, as well as copper staining and exposed joints.

Conservation Solutions, Inc. (CSI) was contracted to clean and repair the monument as part of a larger restoration project of UVA’s outdoor sculpture. The entire statue was washed to remove soiling and accretions and then hot waxed to help protect the bronze surface. Missing bronze elements were replicated and attached in their original locations. The base was repaired using a combination of stone dutchman repairs and cementitious scagliolo patches, and failed lead caulking was reinstalled to seal the base joints. Copper staining was also removed.

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