THE PALACE OF QUELUZ

The magnificent gardens of the Palace of Queluz, near Lisbon in Portugal, are home to a large collection of English, eighteenth century lead sculpture and fountains by John Cheere.

Though many sculptures have been lost, twenty-two lead sculptures remain, eleven of which can be confirmed as by Cheere. We undertook an initial condition survey of the collection in 2003 and over the following years completed the restoration or conservation of ten sculptures or groups, on behalf of the World Monuments Fund. We set up a studio on site to carry out the work on most of the sculptures, and involved local conservators and conservation students in the work as a hands-on training exercise, so that the collection can be maintained by local conservators in years to come.

Two of the sculptures were an unknown quantity, as at some time in the past they had been removed from the gardens and completely covered in plaster and supporting wooden battens.

These two sculptures were transported to our studios in London and removal of the plaster revealed them to be life size groups depicting the Rape of Proserpine, and Aeneas and Anchises (see below). 

Above: The Analysis of Beauty by Hogarth, (1753), is thought to depict John Cheere's sculpture yard.

The sculptures we have conserved at the Palace of Queluz are illustrated below:

Aeneas and Anchises, shown after the removal of the plaster covering (above left) and after conservation (right). The remains of original paint on the surface have been retained resulting in the reddish colour. For full details of the conservation work click here.

The Rape of Proserpine, shown after the removal of its plaster covering (above left) and after conservation (right)

Vertumnus and Pomona, before conservation (above left - note heavy lead dioxide formation) and after conservation (right)

Meleager and Atalanta, before conservation (above left) and after conservation (right)

Venus and Adonis, before conservation (above left - note collapsed neck) and after conservation (right)

Bacchus and Ariadne, before conservation (above left - note damage to Ariadne's neck and head caused by a falling tree) and after conservation (right)

Diana, before conservation (above left) and after conservation (right)

Apollo, before conservation (above left) and after conservation (right)

Summer (from the Four Seasons group), before conservation (above left) and after conservation (right)

Autumn (from the Four Seasons group), before conservation (above left) and after conservation (right)