For a month, the sculptures of Angel Custodio and San Valero, who flank the Zaragoza City Council Since 1965, they have remained hidden. But it has been for a good cause: both have been subjected to cleaning that will allow them to look at their best face from this next week.
This performance on the works carried out by Pablo Serrano is part of the improvement of the urban scene that is carried out regularly. Next to them it has also been intervened in the Corten steel plate that commemorates the municipal councilors and workers killed in the Military coup of 1936, in the lighting towers of the Plaza del Pilar and in the pillars that support the marquee that travels the square.
The sculptures of the Angel Custodio and San Valero were in a good general condition, so since last May 9 a team of professional restorers have performed superficial cleaning without aggressive products. One of the main sculptures, made in molten and skated bronze on a granite pedestal, is the action of pigeons that populate the square, in addition to the oxidation of the pieces themselves and the environmental pollution and that from the rolled traffic. The roughness of the metal had also caused the accumulation of dirt on some of the surfaces. The most affected area was the lower part of the works.
The company Antique S.L. Art restoration has been in charge of this action, which began with the study of sculptures, execution techniques, factors and alteration products and the realization of suitability and solubility tests. Then differentiated treatments were applied according to the type of dirt, starting with the one from rainwater and following the coming of pollution.
After that, bronze corrosion products have been eliminated with continued washing and inhibitors have been applied to avoid changes in the appearance and improve their durability and stability. The action has ended with the chromatic adaptation in especially altered areas, as was the case in the lower area of the sculptures, and the application of a protection stratum in combination with inhibitory products and metal preservatives.
In the case of lighting towers and marquee pillars, treatment has focused especially on the elimination of graffiti and stickers, which greatly alter the surface of the metals. In this way, the different elements of the Plaza del Pilar will be prepared to welcome citizens and visitors with their best aspect.
Sculptures that turn 60 years
On June 23, the Statue of San Valero will celebrate its sixty years observing the Plaza del Pilar from its privileged position, next to the main door of the Town Hall. A few days later the sculpture was placed to the Angel Custodio. It is a commission that the mayor of Zaragoza, Luis Gómez Laguna, made Pablo Serrano in the final phase of the construction works of the new building that was going to house the City Council.
Although at first it was thought to place two stone sizes that represented the Angel Custodio and San Jorge, the materials and the patron of Aragon were finally modified was replaced by the figure of San Valero, patron of the city.
The choice of the custodian angel is related to the city door that was in front of the stone bridge, which for a long time was crowned by a size. The figure combines body angles with the sweet features of the face. In his hands he holds the body and soul of the city of Zaragoza, with a vigilant gesture.
Similarly, the sculpture of San Valero has a rocky and little defined body, but with a very expressive face and hands. These hold a staff in a gesture reminiscent of the sculpture “The Prophet” by Pablo Gargallo.
