The Offerings of War & Peace

PROJECT DATE : 2017-2020
project
The Offerings of War & Peace
client
Art Gallery of New South Wales
services
Objects and outdoor heritage conservation

Overview

ICS was engaged by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2017 – and again in 2020 – to undertake a condition assessment and conservation works to two bronze equestrian sculptures known as The Offerings of War and The Offerings of Peace. These sculptures, designed by Gilbert Bayes in 1923, were installed the same year in their current location at front of the Art Gallery of NSW.

Each sculpture features a male figure mounted on a horse. The Offerings of Peace holds an olive branch and a wheat sheaf, trailing the horse is a bag of fruit along with Greek Tragedy and Comedy masks. The Offerings of War holds a long staff and a bundle of swords.

2017

Condition

The sculptures appeared structurally sound. Dust and grime had built up on the surfaces, concentrating in areas where water pools. The protective wax coating applied in 1993 had significantly deteriorated. The Offerings of Peace had localised staining possibly caused by iron pins in the armature. The staining had reached beneath the wax and patina to the parent metal.

Treatment

  • Surface cleaning
  • Removing wax coating
  • Inspecting and testing corrosion
  • Corrosion treatment
  • Reducing iron corrosion staining
  • Inspecting the plugs in the armature
  • Localised inpainting in areas with damaged patina
  • Applying a wax coating and local application of pigmented wax coating

 

2020

Condition

The protective wax coating ICS applied in 2017 had begun deteriorating in localised areas. Dust and grime had built up again on the surfaces, concentrating in the same areas where water pools. There was evidence of chloride corrosion in cracks and crevices.

Treatment

  • Surface cleaning
  • Mechanical removal of sections of deteriorated wax coating
  • Removing active corrosion and debris
  • Corrosion treatment
  • Localised application of wax coating

Download Job Sheet

project
The Offerings of War & Peace
client
Art Gallery of New South Wales
services
Objects and outdoor heritage conservation
Before treatment, Offerings of War
After treatment, Offerings of War
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