RFI continues its series dedicated to the craftsmen of the Palace of Versailles. Céline Blondel is a restorer of gilded wood at the Palace of Versailles. In his workshop with a view of the castle, works of art from different eras are restored. Here, the wood is degreased for cleaning in order to visualize the extent of the restoration work to be carried out. She uses natural products of animal or vegetable origin and works with the heat of the hands and the breath.
You have to have a frank and measured gesture. That’s what’s difficult, the application of the gold leaf gives the impression that it’s very soft but no, it’s a lot of tension in the shoulders, the hands, the restraint of the gesture.
For Céline Blondel, school was not fun. At the age of 17, she turned to a decorative leaf gilder CAP, working alternately with a craftsman specializing in modern framing, new gilding, old imitation in the 19th century style. This is followed by the Louvre Museum where she worked for 18 years restoring gilded wood.
Disseminate knowledge
It was in 2012 that she arrived at Castle of Versailles, first alone then joined by an apprentice. Other apprentices follow, hence a different vision of his profession. “ I committed to learning rather than taking on interns, because I really wanted there to be that long learning time. Here, the apprentices participate in construction sites, exhibitions, they hear the discussions with the curators. Why we reflect, for example, to keep a shine, to redo a part, it is interesting for the reflection when they will have more trade. It taught me to talk about my job again. »
” All that I had been doing without verbalizing it for years, it allowed me to think about all our problems of drying time, temperature, color to put on for gluing. I always find it interesting to share, to discuss the job, to see the evolution of each apprentice, to hear from them afterwards. It’s a beautiful relationship that is created. »
“We have tools with pretty names”
At the Palace of Versailles, the gilders have as material to restore, in addition to the frames, the furniture. It’s a way of working in greater volume: living rooms, consoles, armchairs or beds. And for this, the work is done with traditional products and tools. “ What I also like about this job: working with products such as rabbit skin glue or Meudon white wine, our two flagship products, ox gall. The plate which is clay mixed with blood. We have tools that have pretty names, paring irons, boxwood and metal amulets too. »
” The gilding cushion is a beautiful object. It’s fun to work with beautiful materials. The cushion to gild, it is in poplar with a parchment which frames half to prevent the gold leaves from flying away with the wind. We put the gold leaves on the cushion to be gilded and we are going to work them with a knife and a breath. We are going to take them with a palette, put them on the object and press with a press so that they adhere well to the object. »
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