Artwork of the month of February 2026

Work: Fruit Bowl
Place/Date: Catalonia, circa 1600
Material/Technique: Blown glass with frosted decoration and diamond-point engraving
Dimensions: Ø34 x 10 cm
Collection: Maricel Museum, Sitges. External deposit Alfons Macaya, inv. no. 125

The piece is a blown glass fruit bowl, practically transparent, with small bubbles inside the glass paste, in a light greenish-honey hue. It is decorated using the frosted glass technique and diamond-point engraving. It consists of two distinct parts: a nearly flat, plate-shaped body approximately 34 cm in diameter, with a downward-folded rim forming a hollow, cord-like perimeter; and a truncated conical foot ending in a flat, disc-shaped base, probably for greater stability, which also has a folded rim. The plate sits slightly inclined on the foot.

The frosted decoration is located in the center of the plate and is molded from the underside; that is, the relief is on the underside of the piece. This technique is used to create reliefs in the form of water or, in some cases, controlled fissures or cracks, intentionally created. In this particular case, the frosted effect was achieved through molding. The engraved decoration, with highly stylized plant forms, is arranged around the perimeter of the plate.

Both the manufacturing and decorative techniques are executed with great precision and skill. This object belongs to the category of glassware known as "in the Venetian style." Catalan and European glassmakers, from the second half of the 16th century until the second half of the 17th century, attempted to imitate Murano techniques and achieved results of exceptional quality. Although they did not achieve the same colorlessness as Italian crystal, the honeyed hue of Catalan crystal became a distinctive and prized feature, resulting in high-level technical craftsmanship with elegant and exquisite forms.

This kitchen and tableware object has received different names throughout history, depending on the authors who have described it. Among the leading scholars are Josep Gudiol Ricard, Jaume Barrachina, Jordi Carreras, and Ignasi Domènech. In specialized literature, one can find similar objects designated with diverse terminology: serving dish, coaster, dessert stand, or footed plate.

State of conservation
The initial state of conservation was, in general terms, fair to poor. On the one hand, the chemical stability of the vitreous material was stable, despite the presence of a widespread layer of dust deposited and adhering to the entire surface, as well as inside some open bubbles. Furthermore, the piece had suffered severe damage; the plate was fragmented into fourteen pieces and showed minor volume loss.

Conservation-Restoration Intervention
The conservation-restoration intervention consisted of several treatments. First, after initial photographic documentation, a general cleaning was carried out, both mechanical and chemical, using cotton swabs moistened with a 50% mixture of distilled water and ethyl alcohol. Subsequently, a pass of acetone was performed, also with cotton swabs, to remove any remaining grease.

Second, the plate fragments were reassembled and adhered. The complexity of this process lies in the fact that the plate is suspended on its base and is not completely flat, which prevents it from being placed on a horizontal surface to facilitate adhesion. For this reason, the adhesion was carried out with the plate positioned on its side, so that gravity would help position and hold the fragments on their ends, correctly aligning them with their original positions.

Once the piece was reconstructed using strips of transparent adhesive tape (approximately 15 x 3 mm), placed on both sides of the plate, perpendicular to the fracture and overlapping each other, adhesion was applied by infiltration with a specialized epoxy resin for glass restoration.

This resin is designed to be completely transparent upon curing; this is achieved because it has a reflectance index very similar to that of glass. It was developed in 1983 for the purpose of restoring the Portland Vase. It has a curing time of seven days, which allows the conservator-restorer to adjust the position of fragments during the first three days, especially in the case of pieces with complex remounting, such as this one.

However, it is not a reversible adhesive, unlike acrylic resins such as Paraloid® B-72, commonly used in the restoration of archaeological glass, which is generally more fragile, translucent, or opaque. Paraloid® B-72 does not have the same reflectivity as glass; therefore, despite being transparent, the joints between the fragments are more visible.

Thirdly, the reintegration of the small missing volumes was carried out with the same Hxtal NYL-1 epoxy resin and protected with a glossy topcoat (Golden MSA Gloss).

Finally, photographic and written documentation of the treatments performed and the products used was completed.

It is important to emphasize the importance of preventive conservation in glass collections, which, despite appearing stable, are sensitive to various environmental factors. Maintaining a relative humidity of 45(±5)% and controlling the presence of volatile organic compounds (especially acids) are essential. A simple measure to maintain these parameters within appropriate ranges is to ensure gentle and constant ventilation in the room or display case. Finally, it is important to emphasize the need for proper maintenance: regular monitoring of the conservation status and gentle, periodic cleaning of the exhibited objects.

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY

BENÍTEZ, Natalia. Paraloid® B-72, resines epoxy i sol- gels. Comparativa de productes per a la restauració i conservació de vidre. Treball Final de Grau. Universitat de Barcelona, 2023.

CARRERAS, Jordi. El vidre català. Col·lecció Eines i feines, vol. 8. Figueres: Edicions Brau, 2018.

CARRERAS, Jordi. «Els vidres catalans a la Façon de Venise del Museu de les Arts Decoratives de Barcelona». A: I Jornades Hispàniques d’Història del Vidre (Barcelona-Sitges 30 de juny, 1 i 2 de juliol de
2000), coordinat i editat per Teresa Carreras i Rossell i Ignasi Domènech Vives, p. 143-153, Barcelona, 2021.

CARRERAS, Teresa; DOMÈNECH, Ignasi. Museu Cau Ferrat. La col·lecció de vidre. Sitges: Consorci del Patrimoni de Sitges, 2003.

DAVISON, Sandra. Conservation and Restoration of Glass. Londres: Butterworth-Heinemann; British Museum, 2003.

GUDIOL RICARD, José. «Los vidrios catalanes». Monumenta Cataloniae, vol. III, núm. 169. Barcelona: Editorial Alpha, 1941.

KOOB, Stephan P. Conservation and Care of Glass Objects. Nova York: Archetype Publications, in association en associació amb The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, 2006.

PHILIPPART, Jean-Paul; CURTIUS, Grand; MERGENTHALER, Markus. Frágil Transparencia. Vidrios españoles de los siglos XVI a XVIII. Dettelbach: Editorial Verlag J.H. Röll GmbH, 2011.

Marta Golobardes Subirana, conservadora-restauradora de Béns Culturals. Llicenciada en Belles Arts, itinerari C-R, i Màster en Direcció de Projectes de C-R per la Universitat de Barcelona
Sitges, febrer del 2026