Calima Mask, ca. 100 B.C.-200 A.D.
This exquisite Calima mask had suffered a fall and had broken into dozens of fragments.
Before Treatment
The Process:
The ceramic was extremely porous, so first the break edges of the fragments had to be sealed with a dilute adhesive. This ensures a strong and long lasting repair.
The large fragments were joined first, one by one; each time carefully balancing the piece so gravity aided the process.
The reverse of the piece shows the complexity of the joins.
Tinted fill material was added in the cracks. The fill material is easily reversible, so is not damaging to the original ceramic.
After retouching the fill material with the highest quality conservation paints, the cracks were no longer visible, and the mask was made whole again!
After Treatment
..
Then the fragments had to be aligned. Joining ceramics requires careful planning so oddly shaped fragments don't get locked out.
More fragments were added, each time carefully rebalancing the piece.
The joining process was complete! All fragments fit together beautifully, but the cracks along the break edges needed to be filled.
The reverse needed fills as well, since the piece would be seen in the round.
The mask fit in its original mount, confirming that the shape of the mask was correct. The reverse was retouched as well, rendering the damage invisible throughout.
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