Soares dos Reis’ plaster models: technical production and the challenge of the conservation and restoration

Abstract

Soares dos Reis’ natural gifts for the fine arts and the knowledge obtained during his academic career provided him with the tools for teaching and executing his work, considering clay models as a transitional material and original plaster models. The Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis (MNSR) houses among other works of art a great number of original plaster models. Nowadays, they are a source of technical information due to the execution marks left on the support. In a work project delineate between MNSR and José de Figueiredo Laboratory (LJF), six plaster sculptures were selected, with problems of alteration, to start the intervention process of conservation and restoration of the body of work authored by the sculptor.