Reconstruction of the display cases for the paintings "Pieta" and "Flagellation" by Sebastiano del Piombo

Reconstruction of the display cases for the paintings “Pieta” and “Flagellation” by Sebastiano del Piombo

By Ivano Francavilla, Owner, ditta Ivano Francavilla

PROJECT INFORMATION
Project Date: December 2009

The design of the new display cases for the paintings by Sebastiano del Piombo is based on a study focused on two main criteria:

to preserve the paintings within cases that fulfill the role of protecting the works from damage due to both mechanical events and microclimatic variations;
to respect the exhibition conceived by the architect and museographer Franco Minissi.

The existing cases consist of a metal framework rising from ground level and supported by an element fastened to the floor. The upper parts of the frames are secured to sections fastened to a tubular metal structure fashioned as a groin vault. The paintings are inserted within the frames and secured with brackets and by a 10 cm plexiglass frame.

The concept
The concept was to utilize the existing structures and to add outer shell elements made of innovative materials. This gave origin to the “Crystal Boxes,” made of invisible, anti-glare methacrylate and acrylic material.
The same material was utilized to make the “Climaboxes” for twelve drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and for his “Codex on the Flight of Birds” (held by Turin’s Royal Library) for the travelling exhibition in the USA; it was also used for a painting on wood by Beato Angelico (held by the Vatican Museum) for an exhibition in Japan.

The intervention
The Crystal Boxes are made of an invisible acrylic sheet with white methacrylate edges and are inserted inside the metal structure of the existing frames. The works are mounted following the criteria already adopted in the earlier exhibition. The microclimatic conditions are controlled through miniaturized, high precision data loggers located outside the cases, but fitted with one-meter-long probes. The relative humidity is stabilized with a packet of pre-conditioned ProSorb.

The back sides of the works made on wood by Sebastiano del Piombo (1485-1547) have sketches made by Michelangelo. Company Ivano Francavilla, a trusted supplier of museums in Italy, designed and constructed two special climate controlled display cases that would allow for visual access from both the front and back-the result has been greatly appreciated by the museum and scholars in the field.

During the coming twelve months, a careful analysis of the temperature and humidity conditions within the cases and in the exhibition rooms will be conducted, in order to assess possible equipment additions.

Climate controlled display cases (size 1900 mm x 2500 mm each) with Tru Vue Optium Museum Acrylic®. Contruction performed by Company Ivano Francavilla, Via Cupa 23, I-00042 Anzio (Rome), Italy.

via Cupa, 23 00042 Anzio (Roma) | tel/fax 06 9848309 | cell. 348.0646065 | info@ivanofrancavilla.it | www.ivanofrancavilla.it

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