Mopa Mopa and Barniz de Pasto at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Recent Developments †
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Historical Background
1.2. Mopa Mopa at the V&A
1.3. Research Aims
2. Experimental
- Micro-X-ray diffraction (at the Natural History Museum, London) [18];
- Macro X-ray fluorescence scanning (at the National Gallery, London) [18]
- Pyrolysis gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy-py-GC-MS (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) [1];
- Liquid chromatography with diode array detection and mass spectrometry—LC–DAD–MS (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) [1].
3. Results
3.1. Cabinet (W.5-2015)
- Elaeagia pastoensis Mora was identified by FTIR and py-GC/MS;
- A decorative scheme including a skeleton was present on the inner surface of the lid, which had been covered with a much later, probably professionally painted scheme, a pastiche of other barniz areas in the cabinet;
- ‘Mercury white’ (a white pigment made of calomel, mercury(I) chloride) was extensively used on all original surfaces, either alone or mixed with natural organic dyes;
- An oil-based restoration was visible in many damaged areas, with lead white used to replace losses to mercury white.
- Later repairs and restorations were present, made of acrylic paint-containing pigments that were invented from the early 1920s until 1958. This evidence confirmed that the latest restoration was very recent.
3.2. Casket (W.7-2018)
3.3. Tray (1262–1855)
- No mercury white was present anywhere on the tray;
- Silver leaf was present in all the areas with a metallic shimmer;
- No gold was detected;
- The coloured materials were mostly organic.
3.4. Gourds (28–1866, 268–1879, 1577–1902)
- Mercury white is present, both in the outlines of some of the decorative elements and as the main pigment in others;
- Lead-containing pigments are visible in some of the beige areas;
- The background which appears black is actually pigmented with indigo (a blue pigment).
4. New Conservation Activities
4.1. Cabinet (W.5-2015)
- Removal of the acrylic overpaint on the lid underside;
- Filling and toning areas of loss;
- Removal of the non-original sled feet and replacing them with a non-invasive mount that incorporates a more appropriate style of turned feet;
- Removal of corrosion and discolouration on metal hardware.
4.2. Tray (1262–1855)
5. Discussion
6. Acquisition of Contemporary Objects/Mopa Mopa at the V&A: Future Perspectives
7. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
1 | The sheen and glitter of barniz brillante is not easy to capture by photography, especially when images need to be taken with a polarised or diffused light filter to reduce any interfering glare—see also Figure 7 in Humphrey et al. [12]. |
2 | The cabinet was donated by Dr Robert MacLeod Coupe and Heather Coupe in memory of their brother, Philip MacLeod Coupe. |
3 | On barniz de Pasto see for example, The Arts in Latin America, 1492–1820 exhibition organized by Joseph J. Rishel with Suzanne Stratton-Pruitt, Philadelphia (2006) pp. 106–109. |
4 | The collection record for this object can be viewed online: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O11275/tray/ (last accessed 1 April 2024). |
5 | See Chapter 7, El esplendor del brillo (pp. 164–257) in Álvarez-White, M.C., El barniz de Pasto: secretos y revelaciones. 2023: Universidad de los Andes [4]. |
6 | The collection entry can be found online: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112126/dish-unknown/ (last accessed 15 April 2024). |
7 | The collection entries can be found online: V&A: 28-1866; bought £1 in Leon, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O378670/flask/ (last accessed 1 April 2024); V&A: 268–1879; bought £3 by J.C. Robinson in Spain, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O378668/flask/ (last accessed 1 April 2024); V&A: 1577–1902: the silver neck mount engraved SANCHEZ; bought London £4 from Mr F.E. Whelan, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O373700/flask-and-stopper/ (last accessed 1 April 2024). |
8 | HSML inv. no. L2067. |
9 | The collection entry can be found online: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1438719/casket/ (last accessed 1 April 2024). |
10 | Caskets from the group in public collections include HSML inv. Nos. L2067 and 32941; LACMA inv. No. M.2008.34; Museo Catedralico y Diocesano, Pamplona on loan from the parish of San Pedro Apostol, Mondigerria. |
11 | HSML inv. Nos. LS2446 and LS2000. |
12 | Tabletop HSML inv. No. LS2447; casket with Zebregs & Röell (November 2021 catalogue, no. 13); the large casket sold c2014 by Amir Mohtashemi, London. |
13 | Microscopic wood identification was carried out by Peter Gasson, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. |
14 | ‘Traditional knowledge and techniques associated with Pasto Varnish mopa-mopa of Putumayo and Nariño’ https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/traditional-knowledge-and-techniques-associated-with-pasto-varnish-mopa-mopa-of-putumayo-and-nario-01599 (accessed on 16 April 2024). |
15 | See the conference webpage https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/9Zml1R5NvMK/lacquer-in-the-americas-april-2023 (last accessed 16 April 2024) and the bilingual conference recordings that can be reached through the blog post https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/museum-life/lacquer-in-the-americas (last accessed 16 April 2024). |
16 | Tatiana Apráez, personal communication with Nick Humphrey, 2023. |
17 | Museo del Oro, Bogotá; accession number: O21220. Published online by Google Arts and Culture, at https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/rotating-disk-nari%C3%B1o-plateau-late-period/YgGVXTCRbnmF1A?hl=en (last accessed 14 April 2024). |
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W.5-2015 | 1262–1855 | W.7-2018 | 28–1866 | 268–1879 | 1577–1902 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mopa mopa ID | [18,19] | * | [19] | |||
Molecular pigment/dye ID | [18,19] | [19] | [19] | [19] | ||
Elemental pigment ID | [18] * | * | [19] * | [19] * | [19] * | [19] * |
Structural investigation (X-ray-based) | [12,18,19] | [19] | [19] | [19] | ||
Conservation assessment/treatment | [18,19] * | * | [19] * | [19] * | [19] * | [19] * |
Historical background | [12,14] * | [12] | [12] | [12] | [12] | [12] |
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Share and Cite
Burgio, L.; Humphrey, N.; Melchar, D.; Melita, L.N.; Risdonne, V. Mopa Mopa and Barniz de Pasto at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Recent Developments. Heritage 2024, 7, 4592-4616. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7090216
Burgio L, Humphrey N, Melchar D, Melita LN, Risdonne V. Mopa Mopa and Barniz de Pasto at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Recent Developments. Heritage. 2024; 7(9):4592-4616. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7090216
Chicago/Turabian StyleBurgio, Lucia, Nick Humphrey, Dana Melchar, Lucia Noor Melita, and Valentina Risdonne. 2024. "Mopa Mopa and Barniz de Pasto at the Victoria and Albert Museum: Recent Developments" Heritage 7, no. 9: 4592-4616. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7090216