In Radlje ob Dravi, a team of conservators from the Department of Stone and Stucco of the ZVKDS Restoration Centre carried out the installation of a mighty stone pillar, a capitol, stone grills and five statues.
The statue of the Virgin and Child at the top of the column was badly damaged, with a large part of the child's head and crown missing. Other statues were also damaged, especially the most exposed parts, which are the first to break off: fingers, nose, etc. The surface of the pedestals and statues was badly damaged by weathering and biological and other deterioration factors. In order to protect the monuments, the international expert committee decided to apply a 'sacrificial layer', in our case a silicate glaze, to protect the fragile surface of the stone. The sign has been painted in the past, as white paint has been found on hidden parts of the statues and confirmed by research. Remnants of gilding were preserved on the crown, which is also mentioned in written sources at the time of the previous restoration work. The conservation and restoration work on the Sign of Mary will be described in more detail in a separate publication.
During the installation, the stone grills were reinstalled on the profiled ledge, as seen in the archive photographs when the sign stood in its previous location along the main road. Due to the broken corners, the vases were later placed on the platform next to the monument. The installation was carried out using a mobile crane, otherwise the installation was carried out according to the traditional process of laying stone on lead using a mortar made of natural hydraulic lime and sand. Stainless inox anchors were used for reinforcement. Both the pillar and the statue of Mary had permanent mortar holes in the lower area, which were used again for the installation. The stone monument was coated with an algaecide after the work was completed.
The platform was cleaned and, following the original pattern, topped with white cement and grey and black stone chippings. To obtain the appropriate granulation, the sand of the larger granulation was crushed by hand with a hammer. The final appearance was brought closer to the original by washing with a wet sponge.
An inscribed plaque was also reinstalled on the pedestal, testifying to previous restoration work on the sign.
ZVKDS Restoration Centre team:
Project leader. Špela Govže
ZVKDS Restoration Centre Robert Kuret, Evgen Pezdirc, Igor Brozovič
External collaborators Viktorija Peternel, student of restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts, Jaka Jaklič, Davor Kuret, Viba d.o.o., Jaklič Car Transport Company
Reconstruction of missing parts by Denis Dražetić, sculpture student at ALUO
Head of the Department of Stone and Stucco, ZVKDS RC: mag. Nina Žbona
Professional supervision:
Nina Nahtigal, ZVKDS OE Maribor
