Lucy Mclean

Research Project: A Tale of Scale: Investigation into Methods of Removing Limescale from Bronze Fountain Statuary

Having worked in conservation for over a decade, the in-post mode of study gave me the opportunity to further my qualifications mid-career in a structured way, while remaining in my existing workplace. Over three years of part-time study, I have had the opportunity to visit other conservators in Stockholm, work with lasers, develop specialist skills in analysis and forge links with other specialists in my field who have given me their input on my projects and research.

My research has been undertaken into the problem of removing limescale from bronze statuary, an area of study almost entirely untouched within our field. Although numerous methods are available, many can cause severe damage to the statue’s patina. Several methods were trialed to gauge performance and impact on a bronze surface.