The Cultural Heritage Area of La Laguna City Council, overseen by Adolfo Cordobés, is currently evaluating the outcomes of an extensive examination into the condition of the monument dedicated to the Father Anchieta. This study was commissioned to the esteemed Spanish firm GEA Geological Consulting and involved collaboration with restorer Pablo Klett Fernandez.
The findings from this technical assessment of the chemical and physical elements impacting the sculpture, alongside the most suitable cleaning and protective measures following the on-site evaluation conducted in July this year, have led GEA to propose a comprehensive restoration project for this monumental structure. Standing nearly 5.5 meters tall and exceeding 3.5 tons in weight, the initiative aims to restore both the bronze sculpture and its granite base, with an initial projected cost of 48,678.26 euros.
“This is a significant expense, which is why we are actively seeking the most advantageous method to tender the restoration and preservation of the statue at the earliest opportunity,” explains Adolfo Cordobés.
Moreover, the councillor notes that the detailed study regarding the condition of the bronze indicates that, in general, the alterations identified “appear to affect the image of Anchieta in a superficial manner, preserving the metallic core of the examined sections of the bronze, enabling experts to ascertain that, overall, the sculpture is in an acceptable state of conservation, especially considering the duration for which it has been exposed to environmental elements. We are, however, concerned about the degradation of the base, which has lost certain sections in recent years, but we believe recovery is possible.”
The project outlines, based on the assessments conducted, the approach for restoring the piece. This encompasses safety precautions, the materials needed for cleaning, exposure durations, a secure process for sealing cracks, and specific inhibitory and protective treatments, customised for the bronze and the granite base. This includes procedures to reinforce the fractured sections and restore the volume of the base.
An estimated duration of 2 months
The restoration process is divided into four phases, complete with monitoring and quality checks, and it is anticipated that, once commenced, the project would take around 2 months to complete. The estimated expense for the intervention encompasses all costs, waste disposal, and taxes. Nonetheless, certain costs may fluctuate depending on the market prices for rentals, raw materials, or shipping at the time of the project.
Cleaning and sampling tests for laboratory analysis were conducted from July 1 to 3, 2024, at the current site of the sculpture, which is stationed with its own stone base on an octagonal concrete pedestal in the small square adjacent to the Padre Anchieta roundabout in La Laguna, near the Faculty of Biology. An evaluation of the materials and their related issues was subsequently performed to assess their deterioration and prepare a suitable intervention proposal tailored to the requirements of the work.
The methodology for the studies, sampling criteria, and tests is based on the considerable experience accrued by GEA in conservation and quality control projects, along with restorer Pablo Klett Fernández’s extensive work on historical, monumental, and artistic heritage.
The Criteria for intervention in stone materials relevant to historical heritage, published by the GEIIC of the Cultural Heritage Institute of Spain, to which they belong as active associates, as well as various international guidelines such as the Venice Charter (1964) and the Restauro Charters (1932, 1972), have guided these efforts. Additionally, relevant UNE-EN regulations were utilised in the executed operations.
The diagnosis is grounded in the precedential report on the image provided by the CICOP Foundation and endorsed by Miguel Ángel Fernández Matrán, which outlines the condition of the statue, alongside the document entitled “The sculpture of Anchieta and its roundabout of the Brazil,” authored by Antonio Hernández, a Secondary Technology professor. The production techniques and resultant alterations have been thoroughly examined, taking into account the normal aging of the materials and the relocations the work has undergone since its initial placement at the Brazilian roundabout.
About GEA
GEA Geological Consulting is a prominent state enterprise, founded in 2001, specialising in analysing the behaviour of various materials constituting cultural heritage that are experiencing deterioration issues, in order to identify the most effective solutions for their proper restoration, conservation, and maintenance.
The firm, recognised as a Technology-Based Innovative Company (EIBT) by the National Association of European Business and Innovation Centres (ANCES), engages in restoration, conservation, or rehabilitation efforts across all forms of cultural heritage, whether architectural or sculptural, as well as in industrial, archaeological, artistic, or cultural landscape contexts.
Chosen by La Laguna City Council for the initial phase of intervention on the monument dedicated to Father Anchieta, GEA has previously conducted studies, quality controls, and/or consultations in cathedrals across Burgos, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Girona, Palencia, Valencia, Oviedo, Huesca, Getafe, Vitoria, Soria, Mallorca, and Barcelona.
Additionally, they have worked on esteemed buildings such as the Prado Museum, Bank of Spain, Alhambra, Congress of Deputies, and Puerta de Alcalá, along with the walls of Lugo, Oviedo, Ávila, León, and Toledo; archaeological sites including the Roman city of Complutum (Alcalá de Henares), Contrebia Leucade (La Rioja), Llano de la Horca (Santorcaz), and Eras de San Martín de Alfaro (La Rioja).
Furthermore, they have participated in international monuments, such as Gjirokastra, Kanine, Borsh, and Kruje in Albania; significant examples of the Asturian Pre-Romanesque; Paleolithic cave sites in northern Spain; and landmarks like the Sagrada Familia and Palau de la Música in Barcelona, as well as the historic cities of Toledo and Cuenca or the Old Towns of Cáceres, Ávila, and Segovia, among others.
