Restoring antique furniture is a unique skill, an inheritance of centuries of woodworking. The restoration artist’s role is to understand and integrate the original artist’s way of thinking and their techniques, embracing them fully for complete fidelity to the work.
The first step is to determine the origin of the piece, its author, date, and the techniques used. Some works require extensive research both on the piece itself and in the library to uncover all its subtleties. By doing this, Jean-Baptiste Chapuis Ateliers have rediscovered the manufacturing and application process of certain varnishes used in the 18th Century, as well as an ivory tinting process used by 17th Century cabinetmakers.
To determine authenticity and search for possible missing items, infrared and ultraviolet photography techniques are used. We also conduct laboratory analyses of old glues and colours. A detailed study of the furniture allows us to establish what interventions should be carried out.
The restoration work itself consists of intervening in a meticulous way on the frame of the piece (carpentry, sculpture), then on its plating (cabinetry, marquetry), and finally on its finish (varnishing, gilding).
For certain pieces of furniture that have undergone numerous transformations, it may be more appropriate to “keep” the work. Depending on its history and use, rather than fully restoring its original condition we offer a renovation that does not erase the marks of time and modifications (conservation). These reversible measures allow the possibility of subsequent interventions.