Conservation: revealing a hidden skeleton of death | Barniz de Pasto cabinet | V&A

Victoria and Albert Museum2 minutes read

An x-rayed table cabinet from 1650 Peru revealed hidden images decorated with mopa mopa resin, featuring a sea monster and Pelican in her Piety. Scientific analysis unveiled mercury chloride pigment, and conservation efforts uncovered intricate designs and lettering, hinting at a complex rebus puzzle with a mysterious message waiting to be deciphered.

Insights

  • The cabinet made in 1650 from the Viceroyalty of Peru was intricately decorated with mopa mopa motifs using the Barniz de Pasto technique, featuring a sea monster and a Pelican in her Piety.
  • Scientific analysis uncovered mercury chloride pigment in the cabinet, a first in the UK, while revealing hidden designs like a skeleton of death, hinting at a complex rebus puzzle within the original scheme that challenges traditional interpretations of the scene, urging further exploration and decryption.

Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free

Recent questions

  • What is Barniz de Pasto?

    A technique using mopa mopa resin for decoration.

  • What was found during scientific analysis?

    Presence of mercury chloride as a pigment.

  • What did the conservation process involve?

    Using solvent gel to remove overpaint.

  • What was revealed through x-ray and micro computer tomography?

    Hidden designs, including a skeleton of death.

  • What is the potential significance of the original scheme?

    Contains elements requiring interpretation, like a rebus puzzle.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"X-ray reveals hidden images on antique cabinet"

  • The table cabinet was x-rayed to reveal hidden images.
  • The cabinet, made around 1650 in the Viceroyalty of Peru, was portable and used for storing writing equipment.
  • The cabinet is decorated with motifs made of mopa mopa, a natural plant resin from the Andes.
  • The technique used to decorate the cabinet with mopa mopa is known as Barniz de Pasto.
  • The cabinet features a sea monster on the front and a Pelican in her Piety on the back.
  • Scientific analysis revealed the presence of mercury chloride as a pigment, a first in the UK.
  • The cabinet has undergone various alterations and repairs over time, including overpainting.
  • X-ray and micro computer tomography revealed hidden designs, including a skeleton of death.
  • The removal of overpaint on the cabinet's lid revealed intricate designs and lettering.
  • The conservation process involved using solvent gel to remove overpaint while protecting the original surface.

17:58

Mysterious rebus puzzle challenges initial assumptions.

  • The original scheme being examined appears to contain elements that are not immediately clear, potentially requiring interpretation as a combination of lettering, words, and images in a rebus puzzle format, suggesting a deliberate statement to be deciphered. The scene, initially thought to be in Spanish, presents a mystery that contrasts expectations of a death scene with a vibrant depiction, prompting further investigation to decode its core message.
Channel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatarChannel avatar

Try it yourself — It’s free.