Fresco Restoration – Church of Santa Maria della Rosa

Diagnosis: The foundations of the beautiful Church of Santa Maria della Rosa (XV century) are immersed in water for the majority of the year, because of the elevate height of the aquifers. An erroneous external covering and the clay-brick masonry have brought, through the time, to the loss of the lower portion of the frescos in the lateral nave, especially the Crocefissione (XVI century) fresco.

Target: Protect the Crocefissione fresco (XVI century) from deterioration, avoiding a rapid dehumidification of the masonry to prevent the crystallization of the ions dissolved in the masonries.

Intervention: In agreement with the Superintendence for the Historical and Artistic Patrimony of Brescia, Cremona and Mantova, the intervention consisted in the study of a specific plasters composition, allowing a porosymetric distribution adapt to masonries’ water evaporation, using nano-composite materials to avoid chemical deterioration. On the surface, a group of renovators laid down a plaster made of natural hydraulic lime and coloured with quartz and marble dusts. A separation was kept between the base and the fresco, to avoid direct contact between the material and the work of art.

The intervention continued on the foundations, protecting the internal side from the contact with water. Nano-composite materials were applied, allowing a 96% impermeability effect against liquid water and a high vapor permeability at the same time.