Restoration of François Brochet’s statues of St. Nicholas and the Virgin Mary
The statues, which have until now stood on either side of the altar at the Church of St. Nicholas in Fontvieille, depict St. Nicholas and the Virgin Mary. Created by François Brochet, these painted wooden sculptures were installed in 1989, the year the church was consecrated.
These two sculptures, in the naive style, were housed in two painted false niches and, for more than 30 years, stood in keeping with the general aesthetic of the church. However, they had become very dirty, and had developed large cracks as well as traces of infestation by wood-eating insects. Following their removal on 12 December 2023, the statues underwent a major dust removal process and urgent remedial treatment using an anoxic technique, which removes oxygen to effectively eliminate insect infestation. This work was completed in February 2024.
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