Hello!
It has been a while since I have written a post in my name. I did write bits and pieces in some of the last few posts in Issy’s name, but it feels like a long time since I’ve sat down and had a full writing session. I apologise for the delay in updates. It has been a chaotic last few weeks of packing, travelling to Buenos Aires and Rio, returning to Sao Paulo, coming home and then having to get a new laptop (my poor Toshiba only made it to week 4 of Brazil- RIP old timer). Its taken until today for me to be able to sit down on my own in the quiet and write up my last few accounts of our trip!
On Thursday 17th October we went on two more technical visits: the first to the stores of the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Arts) and the second to “Atelier Raul Carvalho Restauração de Obras de Artes” (Raul Carvalho’s Workshop for the Restoration of Artworks).
We continued with our project work on Thursday morning and then left for lunch with Tatiana as she would escort us on the two trips. Tatiana treated us to a delicious dinner at a vegetarian Korean kilo restaurant. The food was lovely and we would have returned if we had had more time in Sao Paulo!
Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art)
Tatiana was excited for us to see the stores at the Museu de Arte Sacra as they have recently been relocated into a new building. She felt it was important for us to see another type of collection and how it was organised. We also found it interesting to see how another museum survives on limited resources.
We were shown around by Carmen, the museum’s conservator who cared for the collection of 18000 objects with a small team of two other paid assistants and a few volunteers. Carmen was a really friendly guide and answered all of our questions with enthusiasm but as she could not speak English, Tatiana helpfully translated our conversations.
The museum is owned by the government and its collection consists mainly of Brazilian religious objects. Some are small figures, including nativity sets and others are larger objects related to the church such as furniture and paintings. One of the reasons why the museum’s total number of objects is so high is that all of the nativity figures and some of the frames are classed as individual objects.
The Museu de Arte Sacra use maps to show the location of the objects, meaning that they must be kept in the same position until they are displayed and then they must be returned to that position afterwards.
Atelier Raul Carvalho Restauração de Obras de Artes (Raul Carvalho’s Workshop for the Restoration of Artwork)
After our visit to the Museu de Arte Sacra, Issy, Tatiana and I headed over to the studio of Raul Carvalho, a private conservator who used to work at the Pinacoteca. Tatiana thought it might be interesting for us to see a private studio as it is another example of how a conservator can work. She thought that Raul’s studio would be especially worthwhile visiting as it is well established and he has had many years of experience as a conservator.
Unfortunately Raul was away and could not show us around so his technician guided us instead. While Raul’s studio was very quirky and homely, it was also clear that he had spent many years developing his own organisation systems and learning to make use of the small converted house in which he worked.
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