32 C O N T E X T 1 0 8 : M A R C H 2 0 0 9 damaging alteration carried out to get them in place. Elements such as the Horn of Cornucopia did not make it to the final position. This all started the processes of deterioration. The question of which paint scheme to use had been discussed on a number of occasions. The 2004 report had noted that lead-based paints had been used and that traces of gold leaf had been discovered. A second investigation confirmed the use of lead-based paints and described the colours. The use of silicate paint was proposed as the durability and low maintenance requirements would suit the exposed position of the statue, but irreversibility and lack of strong colours would be problems. After much expert discussion and analysis it was decided to use traditional, lead-based paints. The main body of the king was originally constructed around iron bars and cramps, which were all in advanced states of decay. The head and shoulders, a separately cast and fired piece, were anchored with a bolt through the head. This had disintegrated, with only gravity and painted lime pointing preventing it from falling off. The rear of the statue had been filled with concrete. This had been done on top of years of rubbish, allowing moisture to cause the disintegration of the main mounting lugs of the statue. A bar through the king’s leg had expanded and damaged the ankle and foot. A stainless steel armature was installed, anchored securely in the Portland plinth, running through the leg and torso and culminating in a bolted fixing at the head. A dressed lead cap with stainless steel spikes was fixed to the top of his head to prevent seagulls landing and making their mark. All accessible rusting cramps were carefully removed from the stonework where possible and replaced with stainless steel.These were set behind the original stone fragments and recorded, removed and stored during the cleaning investigation.Where there was no original stone available, dutchmen (replacement stone pieces) were cut, shaped to follow the lines of the missing stone instead of in straight joints. The original stone had endured many decades of exposure to the coastal weather. To reduce the visual impact of this newly cut smooth stone, each piece was finished by sandblasting to give a texture to match the original. This meant that the pieces had to be fitted exactly, as no dressing-in was carried out on site. The lion had some open joints where fired pieces had been joined, although there was no evidence of movement.The presence of cuprous stains to the stone beneath indicated non-ferrous dowels. The cleaned head was discovered to have a large section missing that had been filled with cement without sufficient attention to detail. This was removed and a special Coadestone repair mortar was used to recreate the impressive leonine features. Once completed, the lion and other elements were prepped, primed and gilded using thousands of pounds worth of gold leaf. At some point in the 1940s the unicorn had lost its head and front leg. These had been replaced with high-quality castings of ‘ciment fondue’, although that will eventually damage the head, as the ferrous metal armature is in a state of deterioration. A mould of the head has been made so that a perfect copy using more suitable materials can be produced in the local college workshops, with the help of students. One ear was lost and the other was partially missing. These, and a thumb missing from the king’s hand, were remodelled in epoxy putty on stainless steel armatures. The new unicorn horn was made from fibreglass reinforced plastic (GRP) over a threaded stainless steel bar, primed and finished in gold leaf. The design allows for future replacements to be fixed efficiently after the traditional stealing of the horn. The vibrant colours and effects of the statues were created using traditional lead-based paints byWarwick Brown, who also did the naturalistic colouring of the king. With some investigative work carried out on the original finishes (samples of which have been archived), it was decided to proceed with considered interpretations of heraldic and regal colour schemes. The realistic face tones were taken from a waxwork at Madame Tussauds that had reputedly been modelled from life. Two other statues were worked as part of this project. A marble and granite statue of local benefactor Henry Edwards was cleaned and repaired. The lifesize bronze of Queen Victoria was cleaned and waxed to retain the rich patina achieved over the years. Her Portland stone plinth was poulticed to remove the green cuprous metal stains, and repaired with mortar and piece-ins. Finally a shelter-coat of the stone was applied to blend the new work and provide a protective, sacrificial layer. Chris Daniels is an accredited conservator and consultant. Alex Frodo Evans, Scott Lewis, John Goodliffe, Sarah Groves, Ruth McNeilage, Jenny Cheshire, Paul Webb, the Thomasons, Mocean Engineering and students of Weymouth College contributed to the project. Left: A special Coadestone repair mortar was used to recreate the impressive leonine features. Right:The gilded lion The vibrant colours and effects of the statues were created using traditional lead-based paints.
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