Wind-blown pollen and dirt can stick to statues dampened by rain, and animals, birds and insects, not known to be great respecters of artworks, and their droppings can encourage the growth of moss, lichen and fungi.
Winter coats
When the first frosts are on the way, it’s time for the house team and conservation volunteers to put the statue covers on to protect Disraeli’s historic sculptures.
Water ingress is very damaging to sculpture; it travels into the pores and fissures of the statue and expands when it freezes. To protect against this, and low temperatures, we wrap our statues for the winter. In the past, we have used dark blue bulky sleeping-bag style covers, but this year, we are trialling a new form, a white Tyvek close-wrap.
Tyvek is a conservation-grade material that allows water vapour to escape and the statue to 'breathe', whilst preventing water from getting in. Using white cord and tape, the team draped sheets of Tyvek around the forms of the statues so you can still see their shape. This means visitors will be able to enjoy the statues even during the five months that they need to be covered for winter.
