Popular local sculpture gets facelift
The University of Greenwich’s popular 19th century sculpture of Galatea has had a facelift. As part of a major programme of investment in the Avery Hill Winter Garden, the marble statue of the mythical sea nymph has been cleaned and restored, using the latest techniques.
Galatea Reclining on a Dolphin was designed by the Italian sculptor Leopoldo Ansiglioni in 1882 and is the centre piece of the East House of the Winter Gardens, on the university’s Avery Hill Campus. The sculpture shows Galatea as a beautiful naked woman, with flowing hair, lying back against the tail of a dolphin. Four bronze birds and a group of sea turtles which surround the statue’s oval plinth have also been restored, along with its pink marble base.
Stewart Edwards, a surveyor in the university’s Facilities Management Office, explains: “Cleaning precious art work is a specialist job. Galatea is over 120 years old so a gentle technique, which is free of chemicals, was used. Water, air and a fine inert powder were mixed at low pressure and puffed through intricate nozzles onto the statue. This lifted off the dirt and discolouration which had built up over the decades, leaving the delicate surfaces underneath largely undamaged. Metallic staining, bird droppings, watermarks and green biological growths were all removed easily and safely.”
As well as cleaning Galatea, the university has also refurbished the circular pool in which she sits, with new rendering and new tiles - sourced to match the originals – to make a path around it. The pond’s much-loved goldfish will return to the Winter Garden from their temporary home elsewhere. The next step is for the pond to receive new aquatic plants as part of a wider replanting of the East House before it reopens in summer 2010.
Chris Powner, Director of Facilities Management, explains: “Soon, this conservatory – one of three which makes up the Winter Garden – will be replanted with camellias and exotic plants from Chile, echoing those brought here by the garden’s first owner, John North. We hope that these will bring pleasure to local people for generations to come.”
The university has taken expert advice from a team at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and has retained Weddle Landscape Design to develop detailed planting plans. The practice specialises in historic parks and gardens, and has worked on a number of prestigious projects including the restoration of Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool.
The work is all part of the university’s efforts to conserve the elegant listed Winter Garden, which dates back to 1880. Guttering, windows, heating and decoration are all to be sensitively restored and the university is working closely with English Heritage and the conservation team in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
The Winter Garden remains open to the public every day: 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 4pm.
ENDS
For further press information:
Caron Jones
Head of Public Relations
University of Greenwich
020-8331 8248 (x8248)
For further information about Weddle Landscape Design: www.weddles.co.uk