Rui Borges^[1], Ana Cardoso^[2], Ana Mesquita e Carmo^[2], Belmira Maduro^[2], Maria José Oliveira^[2], Isabel Ribeiro^[2], Ana Isabel Seruya^[3], Rui J. C. Silva^[4] e Isabel Tissot ^[5]

RESUMO

Este trabalho trata da conservação de uma das peças mais importantes da Tumulária medieval portuguesa – o Túmulo de D. Afonso de Portugal (1390-1400), filho primogénito do Rei D. João I.

O conjunto tumular, jacente, arca e baldaquino, é constituído por elementos em cobre, revestidos por uma camada de ouro ou de prata, fixos a uma estrutura de madeira. As técnicas de decoração – douragem a fogo e prateação por amálgama – foram utilizadas como revestimentos do substrato de cobre, tendo uma dupla função, decorativa e protectora. Consideram-se os problemas de alteração e conservação destes revestimentos e as opções adoptadas na aplicação de uma camada de protecção durante a intervenção da peça considerando o seu local de exposição, a Sé de Braga, forte condicionante para a preservação do Túmulo a longo tempo.

Palavras-chave: Conservação e Restauro, Douragem e Prateação por Amálgama Protecção, Ceras Naturais

The Tomb of D. Afonso of Portugal (15^th century) – Protect to conserve

The present work concerns the conservation of the Tomb of D. Afonso de Portugal (1390-1400), the first born of King D. João I, a major work of art from the Portuguese medieval period.

The tomb set - ark, effigy and baldachin – is composed by gilded and silvered copper plates fixed to a wooden structure. The techniques of decoration - the fire gilding and amalgam silvering - were used as coatings of the copper substrate, having a dual function - decorative and protective. It is emphasize the alteration and conservation issues of these coatings and the solutions adopted in the application of a protective layer during the Tomb conservation, considering the exhibition place, the Cathedral of Braga, a strong constraint to preserve the object for long period of time.

Key-words: Conservation and Restoration, Gilding and Silvering Amalgam, Protective Coatings, Natural Waxes

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^[1] Rua Paulo da Gama nº4, 1400-267 Lisboa, tel.919339733, ruicamaraborges@sapo.pt

^[2] Instituto Português de Conservação e Restauro, Rua das Janelas Verdes, 37, 1249-018 Lisboa, Portugal, tel. 213934200, anamacardoso@yahoo.com, amesquitaecarmo@yahoo.com, belmiramaduro@gmail.com, mariaoliveira@imc-ip.pt, isabelribeiro@imc-ip.pt

^[3] Centro de Física Atómica da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 2, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal, tel. 21 7950790, anaseruya@gmail.com

^[4] CENIMAT/I3N, Campus da FCT/UNL, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal, rjcs@fct.unl.pt

^[5] Archeofactu – Arqueologia e Arte, lda. Rua do Cerrado das Oliveiras nº14 2º Dto, 2610-035 Amadora, Portugal, tel. 213643005, isabel.tissot@archeofactu.pt

Artigo submetido em Setembro de 2009 e aceite Outubro de 2009