Restoration of anatomical models of the Cabinet of Natural History of the IES Cardenal Cisneros
Restoration of twelve anatomical models from the late 19th century. XIX and early XX
The Community of Madrid has a network of Historical Institutes, secondary schools, created in the XNUMXth century and in the first third of the XNUMXth century, which guard and preserve cultural heritage assets of undoubted value. The name Historical Institutes refers to their patrimonial importance, on some occasions because of the building that houses them and on others, because of the documentary or instrumental pieces that they have managed to preserve.
In these institutes, collections of a very varied nature are preserved, with historical objects used in the teaching of subjects such as Biology, Geology, Physics or Chemistry. They range from anatomical, botanical and zoological models, such as naturalized animals, to collections of fossils and minerals and scientific-technological instruments, including historical maps for teaching Geography, models for explanations of Physics or Mathematics, musical instruments and works of art. art.
All these collections constitute an important fund of the historical heritage of the Community of Madrid that is largely unknown to the general public. For the purpose of their protection, conservation and enhancement, in 2019 the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage began a line of work with restoration interventions on assets from these collections, which is maintained to this day and which also meets their needs for preventive conservation.
El Cardinal Cisneros Institute It was born in 1845 with the name of Institute of the Novitiate, after the establishment of the Elementary Secondary Education Studies in the Plan of Pedro José Pidal in 1845, during the reign of Isabel II. It is the first in Madrid, along with the one in San Isidro.
The Natural History Office of IES Cardenal Cisneros in Madrid has a large collection of human anatomical models made of papier-mâché – papier-mâché or papelón-, dated between the last third of the XNUMXth century and the first decade of the XNUMXth century. Many of them were purchased as teaching materials in Dr. Auzoux's Parisian store by Manuel María José de Galdo, professor of Natural History at the institute.
restored models
The following have been restored didactic models made of papier-mâché:
- Brunner's gland
- Stomach
- stomach wall
- Intestinal microvilli
- Small intestine (jejunum) fragment
- Pancreas with duodenum and jejunum (jejunum)
- intestinal microvilli
- gastric mucous gland
- Liebenkuhn's gland (alimentary canal)
On lithographic paper two human anatomy charts.
The support or base material of these works is polychrome papier-mâché, with applications of hemp or ox conjunctive membranes with an internal metallic framework (wire), as a structure to recreate vessels and nerves. To achieve serial manufacturing, lead molds were prepared that allowed the cardboard paste to be compressed until it acquired the desired shape and thickness. Later, with the dry piece, they were painted in polychrome for their identification, emphasizing their didactic value.
Each anatomical model is made up of several removable parts, like a mechanical mechanism, joined by metal anchors. The models were accompanied by a printed manual, which explained the meaning of the labels, many still have them: the larger numbers that are accompanied by a pointing hand indicate that the piece is capable of being extracted; smaller numbers and letters indicate anatomical details.
Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux (1797-1880) was a Norman medical anatomist and naturalist who was responsible for the manufacturing technique of papier-mâché teaching models, starting from anatomical models of the human body.
Didactic model of the Liebenkuhn gland after the intervention
Human anatomy sheet of the nervous system after surgery
State of conservation
Restored anatomical models They had a dark appearance and muted colors. The dust on the surface and the adhering greasy dirt together with the strong oxidation of the protections, made it impossible to appreciate the true chromatic value of the pieces.
The polychromy of the pieces had many cracked, ridged areas, raised due to loss of adhesion to the support and with a high risk of detachment, showing polychrome losses and, in the areas where the dirt on the surface has been trapped, surfaces with an effect have been created. stain. The superficial protection layer is the most vulnerable and, in turn, the importance of its conservation falls on it since the assembly labelling, numbering of anatomical elements and names of the pieces are found on it.
Volume loss was observed in some pieces and also cohesion problems in the papier-mâché support such as exfoliation, tears, etc. Some pieces were disengaged and loose, others had looseness that needed adjustment.
Restored Human Anatomy Plates. Dimensions: 160 cm. x 54cm.
The first copy is made up of two sheets of thick lithographed paper, front and back of the anatomical illustration, joined together by a fine textile mesh that gives them a structural body. The obverse shows us the circulatory system of the human body and the reverse a longitudinal cut where we see the nervous system.
The second copy is a sheet of thick paper lithographed with the image of the human bone skeleton, adhered on the back to a thin cardboard that provides structure and support. On the surface of the trunk, as drop-downs, the organs can be opened: lungs, heart, digestive and urinary systems; all of them, with a lithographed image on two sides joined together by a very fine textile mesh.
The sheets were in a very advanced state of deterioration, caused by the fragility of their material, the natural wear and tear from their didactic use and, mainly, by the storage system.
They offered a dirty and dull appearance of the colors due to dust and greasy dirt adhered together with the logical oxidation of the paper and its inks due to the passage of time. They had breaks, tears and fragmentation. Losses were noted, generally located in the hands and feet.
Restoration work
In the first place, solubility tests were carried out in order to test the products and solvents to be used in the treatment and to determine the degree of oxidation and disintegration of the inks and the support.
The adhesive tapes and the resulting crystallized debris were then removed. For this, a mixed methodology was used, chemically with acetone packs reduced in ethanol and mechanically with the help of the scalpel tip.
The following actions were carried out:
- Elimination of all reinforcements Scotch tape.
- paper adhesion to your support.
- Cleaning of adhering surface dirt.
- deformation correction and folding vices.
- structural consolidation through the adhesion of fragments, tears and reinforcements.
- material reintegration to get an adequate reading of the pieces.
- Chromatic reintegration discernible from the original at close range.
- end protection by spraying compatible with the original appearance and technique and transparent encapsulation of the parts for good storage.
In the fold-out sheet, those organs that were found to have defective repairs and adhesive tape due to breakage were removed in the same way to undertake this process. Taking advantage of the pressure times required by these sections, deformations and folding defects were corrected by moistening the surfaces that required it in a controlled manner.
Once the crystallized tape and adhesive residues had been removed, cleaning was carried out mechanically dry using different rubber-erasers depending on the weakening of the paper.
As fixation or final protection, a synthetic resin in aerosol suitable for paper, unsaturated technique and printing inks was used. In order to protect the models and avoid their degradation process due to oxidation and folding during storage, it was decided to encapsulate them in flexible and transparent PVC.
The treatments carried out have returned to the pieces their correct reading, enhancing their original didactic value.
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