This Blackamoor wall bracket is late 19th century, probably Venetian.

The substrate is a softwood, carved then gessoed. The gesso was gilded in silver and gold, and then painted with translucent colours to create a rich metallic look.

An aqueous solution was first used to clean the entire object.

The timber substrate had shrunk and as a consequence, had un-stabilised much of the gesso, resulting in sections of gesso falling away.

It was first necessary to consolidate the substrate as much as possible. Then carefully inject glue under any loose regions of gesso. The gesso losses were in-filled; these were then carved and shaped accordingly. The new gesso fills were then gilded in silver or gold, then these were in-painted to suit the surrounding area. The figure was lastly given a light coat of microcrystalline wax to protect the delicate finish.