Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion,12th century. Ceramic, glaze, and 7 11/16 x 4 5/16 x 6 7/8 in. (19.5 x 11 x 17.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum Pieces of Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion,during treatment.
This lion aquamanile was restored before entering the museum collection in 1986. When conservators examined the piece in the 80’s they suspected that some pieces were “foreign”, meaning they were taken from other objects. This year the lion was examined for inclusion in the upcoming reinstallation of the Asian galleries. The joins had become unstable because the adhesive used was water soluble and highly susceptible to fluctuations in the environment. With a small amount of humidification the preceding restoration was reversed and the object was returned to the many pieces the original restorer began with. Once apart, and it became clear which pieces don’t belong. For example,the majority of the pieces forming the lion featured the turquoise colored glaze on just one side and the foreign pieces were glazed on both. Also, the thickness of the pieces was compared. In the halt, and it seems there were only a few foreign pieces and these will be kept aside as I begin to put the object back together using more steady adhesive.
Posted by Kate Wight Tyle
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