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  • 1.  Cleaning Bronze sculpture

    Posted 02-10-2022 17:37
    We have a particular sculpture by Fernando Botero- a large bronze sculpture of a woman. The piece is a long term loan. After going through the file for the object, I found evidence that the piece may or may not have a black wax on the sculpture. There is no other information. I see previous condition reports that registrars dusted the sculpture with a soft brush. After a year of not being on view, the piece is going out and I'd like to have her ready for viewing. She's accumulated dust, and has a few handprints on unfortunate areas.  I recently bought soft cloth and new soft brushes, but I'm unsure what would be the best cleaning solution, especially to rid of these fingerprints. I was considering buffing somewhere hidden with a soft cloth first, but I'd like to get some feedback in case someone has experience with this. Thank you,

    Allison

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    Allison Valdivia
    Registrar/Exhibits Tech
    San Antonio Museum of Art
    San Antonio TX
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  • 2.  RE: Cleaning Bronze sculpture

    Posted 02-11-2022 16:05
    Hi Allison, 

    I would think a thorough buffing would be the best place to start, (after a good vacuuming). Start in a small area to see if you get the desired effect.
    The only concern is whether the wax coating is continuous, it may be worn through in places that can be addressed after the buffing. 

    Craig

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    Craig Deller
    Fellow
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  • 3.  RE: Cleaning Bronze sculpture

    Posted 02-12-2022 15:50
    Hi Allison,

    Just a quick follow up on Craig's comment: yes, buffing after dry cleaning with a soft brush and vacuum might well do the trick of reviving the wax and getting rid of the fingerprints. To directly answer one of your questions: I'd advise against cleaning solutions, especially commercially available ones and especially without knowing the condition of the wax layer. As proprietary solutions don't have to list all of their ingredients, it's impossible to know how it might affect the wax, and there's a risk of blanching and/or leaving residues on the surface that could interact with the wax.

    I hope this is helpful. Aside from a soft microfiber cloth, scraps of silk are also excellent for buffing! 

    Rebecca



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