Charlottesville, Virginia

 

Thomas Jefferson, when founding the University of Virginia in 1819, based much of the design on inspiration from Rome, from the famous Rotunda building to the many green spaces across the campus now holding sculptures. Jefferson himself is featured several times, including this seated image. Washington, another resident Virginian, also stands in a groove of trees with benches nearby. The third sculpture of the group, located outside the library, depicts an aviator as Icarus with wings outstretched falling off the globe. The plaque beneath memorializes the lost aviator in French.

 

Because of the similarities in condition, these sculptures were treated collectively. Although no substantial new corrosion was present, the wax coating on them was starting to wear off to varying degrees. The seated Jefferson was missing some lead pointing but had excess lead in another area. Black soiling had formed on the open joint of the base of Washington and was affecting the aesthetics.

 

Conservation Solutions, Inc. (CSI) was contracted to perform the condition assessment and subsequent treatment to the sculptures as part of a larger restoration project. The three works were washed and custom formulated National Park Service wax was reapplied with an additional harder paste wax to provide a level of protection against the environment. Lead caulking was applied to Jefferson and the excess lead was removed. Micro-air abrasion, undertaken at the lowest effective setting, removed the black soiling from Washington’s base.

 

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