Pliny Pedestal
Pliny the Elder, Como Cathedral
Two aedicules bearing the statues of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger decorate both sides of the central portal of Como Cathedral. Made of Musso stone, the statues depict the two philosophers from Como, a unique case of lay people being represented in a place of worship.
Restoration concerned the pedestal of Pliny the Elder, which had already been repaired in the 1980s. After removing the protective glass case, the surfaces were preliminarily cleaned to eliminate all deposits of atmospheric particulate matter and then micro-sealed to prevent rainwater, whose acid content is highly damaging for stone, from filtering deep into the artefact.
After careful analysis and sampling of the artefact, cleaning operations were performed gradually to preserve the original patina.