21/04/2010
Vitoria- Gasteiz, 21st April 2010.- The book ´Estudios y restauración del pórtico´ ( Investigations and restoration works of Santa Maria´s portico) has been presented today by the Foundation of Santa Maria Cathedral. This book explains the exhaustive work done during several years by the restorers. The book also inaugurates the ´Notes of Knowledge´ collection, that will present all the experineces and specific works done during the restoration works of the cathedral.The restorers Diana Pardo, Mercedes Cortazar and Dolores Sanz are the authors of this investigation at the portico that pursues the opening to the public of all this studies that have made possible to recover the portico. The investigation has revealed that the portico has been polycromied from the XIVth century till the sixties, when a big restoration project occurred in the cathedral and the portico, and the tendency was to eliminate all the colour.
Between 2003 and 2004 a group of restorers studied the portico during 18 months and they restored it. During this investigation more than 3000 tastings were made with a huge documentation and information,and the result was a ´policromies correspondence brief´ that has helped the restorers to know the pictorial evolution. More than 15 interventions were identified in the portico.Since one year it is possible to see how was the portico´s appearance thanks to ´The portico of light´policromies show, a light and sound show that shows how was policromied the Paternina´s Chapel in three different periods.Notes of Knowledge
All the information has been compiled in the book ´Investigations and restoration of the portico´, where all the work and the investigation process is detailed. The ´Notes of knoweledge´collection begins with this publication. During more than ten years different group of professionals and technicians have worked in teh restoration work of the cathedral. The next 3rd May the Santa Maria Cathedral will offer a conference where the restorers and authors of this book will explains all the restoration work. It will begin at 20.00pm with free entrance till the hall is completed