The pivot or core of conservation and restoration is matter. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to us to know and understand the material composition of the object before we intervene. Murals and stucco are multilayered objects, meaning our study and analysis relate to the complete layer package, from the support, through lime plaster and preparatory layers, up to and including the finishing layers or paint layers, as well as any subsequently applied overlying layers. Subsequently, like a doctor, we establish a careful and critical diagnosis of the patient. Because murals are materially connected to a building or a specific architectural context, they also experience the problems of that building or broader architectural context. Finally, the restorer must also possess excellent knowledge of the composition and properties of all materials and products used during the interventions, as restoration must not negatively affect the materiality of the object. On the contrary, all interventions must be durable or at least slow down the degradation process and must not alter the original characteristics of the objects or the surrounding materials in any way.

 

Because murals and stucco are unique objects, moreover linked to ever-changing contexts or environments, there are no predetermined intervention schemes. We must start anew in every new case and solve new problems. This makes the conservation and restoration of murals and stucco an extremely difficult and demanding field. Parallel to our conservation work, we conduct various architectural and material-technical studies to better understand the material history of the objects we are working on. Due to the crucial role of matter in our work, we maintain close control over the composition of the products and materials we use and therefore use few or no commercially available restoration products. We manufacture the materials we apply ourselves to match them as closely as possible to the original material.

 

In addition to conservation and restoration work, we carry out plastering in various types of lime plasters (including loam) as part of our integration, which we subsequently paint with lime- or glue-based paints. We also execute all kinds of new plasterwork, albeit using traditional techniques. Furthermore, we execute contemporary murals, frescoes, and stucco work. These activities do not constitute the core business of our company.

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Because knowledge about lime is increasingly being lost due to its application coming under pressure, we also offer workshops and training courses on lime and all its possible applications. The courses are both theoretically and practically oriented and take several days to complete.