Conservation technologies were commissioned by Het Loo Palace in the Netherlands to replicate in marble a life sized marble statue of the Goddess Pomona (part of the Royal Collection) now on display in the Orangery of Kensington Palace, London.
The original statue was laser scanned and the data processed to produce an accurate 3D computer model. The computer model was then divided into eight sections that could be machined. The joint lines were carefully drawn to harmonise with the sculpted form and minimise the visual impact. The internal faces between each section were carefully designed for ease of assembly and engineered for manufacture in marble. These complex joints were created using Haptic, ‘touch enabled’ modelling software which allows a physical interaction between the real and digital environments for the designer. Each section was then precisely machined from blocks of specially imported Carrara marble using computer-controlled 5 axis machining. Finally, the eight sections were carefully assembled in a tradional manner and secured with pins by our experienced team of sculpture conservators here in the sculpture conservation studios of the National Conservation Centre.
The finished replica statue of Pomona will be installed in the restored gardens of Het Loo Palace, alongside other pieces of sculpture from that period.
Have a look at images taken during the replication process in the image gallery below.
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