The Council of La Laguna has assigned the expert company GEA with the task of conducting analytical studies and cleaning tests on the statue of Father Anchieta, currently situated beside the Faculty of Biology at ULL. This well-known Spanish firm will also be responsible for formulating the restoration plan for the statue. These actions will not only provide insights into the current condition of the artwork but also the necessary interventions required and their estimated cost.
The Mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, affirms that “the statue is a symbol of our city, it stands as one of the most prominent pieces of our monumental heritage, and therefore, we are fully committed to preserving it. We are aware that continuous transfers and its location in an area of high traffic have taken a toll on its state. This study marks the initial step in the process to ensure its safeguarding,” he stated.
The Councilor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés, stated yesterday that the entire cost of this assignment will be covered by the area, amounting to an investment of 10,400 euros and a timeline of 2 months for execution. “These analyses and cleansing tests are essential to understand the true condition of the statue and to propose an appropriate intervention,” he noted.
Cordobés emphasised that “the company, from this preliminary phase, will extensively examine the bronze statue and the stone base that upholds it. Once we have the restoration plan ready, our aim is to promptly initiate the tendering process,” he pointed out.
Furthermore, the Mayor announced that, “shortly, further measures will be taken to establish the inaugural interpretation centre dedicated to San José de Anchieta in La Laguna and Tenerife, a museum to be housed in the residence where the saint dwelled during his childhood and youth.” next to the Plaza del Adelantado, a site that has recently undergone restoration.”
This preliminary phase, conducted in alignment with recommendations by the International Centre for Heritage Conservation Foundation, will encompass morpho-chemical and alterological analysis of the statue, performed by a specialist petrologist; on-site cleaning, inhibition and protection tests by a proficient restorer, along with the formulation of the intervention plan. The assessments will ascertain the quantity, nature, thickness, and condition of the original coatings.
