Lisa, Branden, Jane and Evonne did a one-city trip to the Walters where we had a busy three days with our first bronze Crucifix (we had previously studied a silver cast (at the AGO) and a cast of the Risen Christ, from the same model as the work cast for the Sacrament Chapel in St. Peter’s. The latter has some chromatic peculiarities that may have been the result of an early 20th-century fire. We also added another work in the comparanda category of our study, the gobsmackingly beautiful and intriguing Mortar signed by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. It’s the kind of work that shows that founders did some modelling themselves, giving us a sense of the potential extent of collaboration between artist and foundry. 

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We had a most engaging visit, looking together closely at the three works with the curator of Renaissance and Baroque Art Joaneath Spicer, Terry Drayman-Weisser Head of Objects Conservation Angie Elliott, Senior Objects Conservator Greg Bailey. Then intern Katie Shulman got involved with the scanning of the Crucifix. One happy result of the trip is that Greg decided to pursue research on the Mortar and is planning a publication on it. We were also joined for a brief in-person handoff to Chandra Reedy! We don’t entrust precious core and metal samples to any mail or deliver service. We always look for a personal courier. Many thanks Chandra!