Background On Sept 18, 2014, L. Cleo Mullins of the Richmond Conservation Studio visited the church for an initial examination of the tablets. A test cleaning of the background with methanol and dimethyl-formamide showed that the field behind the letters and cross was originally a bright cerulean blue-color, but it has been painted over with a dark maroon or reddish-brown colored oil paint, probably the same paint used when overpainting the pinnacles.
Links:
About our tablets
Summary of the issues
Mullins complete report Sept, 2014
Mullins pictures
Today’s visit
Following up on this earlier visit, Cleo brought her assistant Beth and a gilding conservator for a more indepth look on Feb. 3, 2015. They were in the church for about 3 hours. Here is a photo gallery of the afternoon work. Thanks to Jim Heimbach both for his pictures and descriptions. They were invaluable in putting together this article.
The goals today were to:
1. View details such as the scrollwork and the rosettes and arches at the top.
2. Peer behind the black overpaint on the cross and other layers of paint on the tablets.
3. Look at the blue painted wall behind the side wooden tablets.
4. Analyze the molding work around the tablets and find out the best way to restore.
Their work involved removing a test sample of the top layers and taking detailed photographs. Scaffolding was put up for the detailed work.
They are convinced the tablets were not borrowed from another church but were specifically constructed for St. Peter’s, probably during the 1850’s when the church was being reconstructed after the 1849 fire. It was at this time the current bell and organ appeared. The tablets are unique in their design and harken back to our 18th century past in the Episcopal church and Church of England.
Over the next few months they will present the church with an overall plan and an estimate of cost for restoration. These experts are very excited of the possibilities for restoration. Tablets generally were not part of churches in the 1850’s. Many churches had removed their colonial tablets. This makes St Peter’s tablets unique and invaluable as an art treasure.
A key part would be removing the progressive layers of paint added by later generations which may have been done good faith to preserve the tablets but in the end obscured the original work they were trying to protect. Beyond that touching up details of the paint and molding damaged over time would be considered. We will have to await their report for the scope of work.
What came out yesterday also were thoughts there may be a connection between the rosettes on the upper panel which are not easily visible and rosettes in the stained glass windows. The Vestry minutes and other records do not mention any of these details.
We know this process will be an expensive process if the Vestry accepts these experts recommendations. What is evident is that these pieces of wood are unique to this church and and a historical art treasure we need to restore. They are another part of our outreach to the community.
Catherine will be considering grant possibilities and there will be opportunities for contributions if the Vestry goes ahead. In the end if we decide to take this step we will properly conserve a treasure of our past for generations yet to come and understand more about our past.