Two Shields from Rwanda

USD $90,638

Description

Also available for restoration are some pieces that will be displayed in the Africa Section of the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum. This first shield is decorated with red and black geometric patterns, symbolic of the entrance door to the chieftain’s house. Wooden sticks that support a rigid fabric of woven plant fibers compose the main structure. The second shield is decorated with red geometric patterns, symbolic of the gateway to the chieftain’s house. The main structure consists of wooden sticks supporting a rigid fabric of woven plant fibers. These two shields, once restored, will be on display in the new Africa section of the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museums. A portion of the restoration costs will fund part of the new display cases.

State of Preservation

The shield is in poor conservation condition. The wooden perimeter structure is very weak; the sticks are broken, deformed, brittle, and no longer serving their support function. The vegetable fibers are also deformed, brittle, abraded, sometimes broken, and dehydrated. Their ends, no longer maintained by the wooden structure, are very fragile. The central interweaving is very delicate and partially deformed. The pigment used for the decorative motifs is partially loose, abraded, and incomplete. Finally, the entire surface is covered with an incoherent deposit layer.

Restoration Procedures

Preliminary scientific investigations will be completed together with the creation of temporary support for carrying out all phases of the conservation intervention. The first step of the restoration will consist of creating a protective structure around the artwork. The restorers will secure the unstable fibers and wooden elements with temporary bindings on the most damaged areas and dry cleaning and chemical cleaning will follow.