28-07-2020
The study of the characterization and dating of the ceramic and wood sculptures of the Convento dos Capuchos, in Sintra, allowed to define the intervention strategy in the sculptural group of the convent, thinking about the future of the pieces and the preventive conservation of the ensemble.
The study was developed by Inês Coutinho, professor and researcher at the Department of Conservation and Restoration (Vicarte), and Isabel Pombo Cardoso, researcher at the Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, in partnership with Bruna Pereira de Oliveira, alumna of the NOVA School of Science and Technology and founding partner of "Água de Cal".
In this work, it was possible to identify the original painting layers of the pieces, as well as the various layers of repainting made at different times, during distinct phases of intervention in the convent. This study additionally served to deepen the history of the Convento dos Capuchos, adding to it another chapter in the fields of the history of materials, conservation and restoration and art. The chemical characterization allowed to propose a date and outline of the Conservation and Restoration strategy for the ceramic and wood sculptures of the Convento dos Capuchos in Sintra.
Founded in 1560, the Convento dos Capuchos has undergone several interventions in the past, but the fact that it is in the middle of the Serra de Sintra, exposed to significantly high humidity levels, results in the rapid degradation of materials.
The study and intervention at the Convent constitute the fundamental steps necessary for the requalification and enhancement of the space and that will allow visitors to appreciate more this place.
