Restoration work has begun on the Fountain of the Shepherd, one of the prominent artistic elements located in the English Garden of the Royal Palace of Caserta. The sculpture, depicting a shepherd seated in the act of playing a two-pipe aulos, represents a typical rustic subject inspired by the decorative tradition of 18th-century Venetian villas. The character, dressed in a woolly tunic, hood and hat adorned with a central rose, is depicted with his legs crossed on a rock, while at his left hip he carries a small water bottle.
The restoration work, still in its early stages, focuses on removing limestone and plant organisms that have settled on the statue’s surface over time, blurring its details and risking compromising its structural integrity. Degradation agents are in fact known to promote the deterioration of artistic and architectural structures exposed to the elements.
So far, the first phase of cleaning has been carried out, with the sculpture being freed from the most obvious limestone. In the coming weeks, a more thorough refinishing will be carried out, aimed at the complete removal of the mineral. Subsequently, enzymatic cleaning is planned, which will gently remove organic residues, thus ensuring a more lasting preservation of the artifact. The restoration work has been entrusted to the firm Fratelli Navarra srl, which is working under the supervision of the relevant authorities. The funds earmarked for the operation derive from ordinary appropriations provided as part of a project that also includes the restoration of the Diruto Temple and the swan shelter in the pond adjacent to the English Garden.
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| Ongoing restoration of the Fountain of the Shepherd in the English Garden of the Royal Palace of Caserta |
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