RESTORING CAST IRON
Restoring an object means “bringing it back to life” and not merely returning it to its original state. The normal beneficiaries of this type of action are the great works of art which, however unique in themselves, share a common value: they cannot be consumed by time.
But restoration also means bringing to light questions concerning public interest and the collective heritage, represented in our case by cast iron urban décor. In recent years a growing awareness among numerous administrators has permitted the recovery of items which had seemed irrevocably destined to disappear: the restoration of lamp posts and décor has thus become synonymous with a cultural commitment to the defence of the characteristic identity of the single cities and of the look that makes each one unique in the world.
The issue of the restoration of cast iron objects was for a long time set aside on account of the specific knowledge and skills – historical and technical – required in order to deal with it adequately. Today the Neri Foundation – Italian Museum of Cast Iron, by studying the original sources (catalogues, books and photographs), the articles in its collection and conservation techniques, is able to provide scientific consultancy for the work of Neri S.p.A., a highly specialized company which has acquired experience in this sector that is unique, and not only in Italy.
Some of these undertakings, concerning prestigious centres such as Dublin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Turin and many others, have already been discussed in issues of Arredo&Città specifically dedicated to the theme of restoration (n.1 1995; n.1 1999; n.2, 2000).
The following list, which will gradually be extended, is intended to introduce readers to some of the most recent restorations, for which the support of the Museum, concentrated mainly on the study of the old archive sources, was decisive for a scientific and philological restoration.
