This small Celestial Globe (inventory number 70155) was engraved by MatthiasGreuter in 1636, as shown by the dedication, and measures 27 cm in diameter. It appears to be in fair condition, and the finishing varnish does not seem altered, while areas of layered erosion caused by insects (silverfish and woodworms) a revisible on the surface.

The watercolor paints appear stable and in good condition, while the head restorer of the Paper Laboratory, Chiara Fornaciari, found it necessary to replace the bases of the two globes. Indeed, it is a heavy stone base of recent manufacture that does not provide any stability to the celestial globe.
For this reason, the Painting and Wood Restoration Laboratory has been consultedand is studying a new arrangement that will be correct from the points of view ofconservation, functionality, and historical reading.

—

The Terrestrial Globe (inventory number 70156) was engraved by Giovanni Battista Nicolosi in the second half of the 17th century. This small globe measures 27 cm in diameter and appears in fair condition.

Watercolored only along some of the boundary lines of the lands depicted, it shows, as does the celestial globe, areas of surface erosion caused by insects (silverfish and woodworms). Also mounted on a stone base, it has a large hole at the bottom that will allow the restorer to investigate inside the globe to study its construction technique.

—

The restoration of these two Globes marks the completion of the restoration of the Vatican Museums’ collection of terrestrial and celestial globes.

The Celestial Globe (inventory number 70155) was engraved by Matthias Greuter in1636, as noted in the dedication. The work, small in size (diameter is 27 cm), appeared to be in fair condition.

The finishing varnish, which was not particularly oxidized, still made the engraving stroke legible. There were, however, missing areas on the surface at different levels of the constituent layers.

These deficiencies were due to erosions by insects (silverfish). The eroded areas revealed the layering of the constituent paper of the small globe: these are most likely printed book sheets used by gluing several layers onto the small paper sphere(which is very light, confirming the absence of an internal wooden structure).

—

The Terrestrial Globe (inventory number 70156), engraved by Giovanni Battista Nicolosi in the second half of the 17th century, also small in size (27 cm in diameter),appeared – in terms of the engraved surface – in fair condition. Even in this case, however, the presence of widespread surface erosion of the very first layer of the engraved paper due always to the attack of silverfish was noticeable. The most significant damage was a large hole at the base of the globe drilled to position it on a metal hoop anchored to the base also made of metal.

The two globes were microaspirated and cleaned with soft bristle brushes and a makeup sponge. The operations performed are listed below:

• Dusting with brushes and micro aspirator
• Cleaning with a makeup sponge
• Grouting of abrasions and holes due to xylophagous insects with micronizedpaper pulp and/or tylose MH 300 P and rabbit glue (1 part glue to 9 parts water)
• Reinforcing the raised layers of the constituent paper with 6% tylose MH 300 Pglue in water
• Closure of cracks on the surface of the work inv. 70156 with micronized cellulose
• Consolidation of the lower part of work inv. 70156 and application of removableresin closure covered with western tone paper for preservation
• Veiling of abraded parts with pastels
• A color rebalancing of the fillings with Derwent soft color pencils and watercolor
• Mounting on new support performed by the Painting Restoration Laboratory, the wood restoration section

Once the work was completed, the head restorer of the Paper Laboratory, Dr. Chiara Fornaciari, positioned the two globes on the new supports made by restorers Massimo Alesi and Marco de Pillis of the Painting and Wood Restoration Laboratory.

A display case will be created to exhibit the two pieces in the museum’s itinerary, in the room where the other restored Globes are currently exhibited.