Il restauro del mantello di Napoleone per l’incoronazione a re d’Italia

The green silk velvet mantle, embroidered with silver and gilded silver and lined with white satin, embroidered in silk thread, with ermine tails, is part of the ensemble of insignia with which Emperor Napoleon was crowned King of Italy, on 26 May 1805, in Milan Cathedral. Prior to the restoration it was covered in a dense veil of dust that dimmed the brilliance of the colours and dulled the lustre of the yarns; there was irregular stitching along the profile, blocking and badly curling the satin lining, tearing it in places. The collar is strangely completely unadorned. The most complex operation of the intervention was the removal of the patina of oxidation deposited on all the metal elements of the embroidery, which extended over a large part of the velvet surface. The gradual and progressive reaction of corrosion of the metal was the most dangerous part of degradation for the conservation of the artefact, precious in its materials and manufacture, of Lyon attribution and unique historical evidence of the splendour of the imperial court. After in-depth and repeated scientific investigations and numerous unsuccessful cleaning trials, using traditional techniques and materials, a method was developed based on the combined action of laser technology, able to breach and to break the sulphur patina, and an immediate manual removal of the pulverised residues, using small polyurethane sponges. The intervention, which was lengthy and complicated by the fragility of the materials, allowed to recover the game of reflected light produced by the skilful and virtuosic use of different types of metallic yarns, enhancing the name and figure of the Emperor, during the coronation ceremony. The lisatures and tears in the lining were consolidated, only partially replacing some of the irregular and bad stitching in the hem: traces were found of the original presence of a profiling border and ermine fur cape, to embellish the collar, over time described and documented but disappeared at least since 1923.