Highlighted objects - and the challenges they present conservators

This piece is typical of objects imported to Rome after the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. The Romans showed great interest in Egyptian artefacts and many were imported to adorn houses and gardens. The baboon has a Roman appearance and looks to be a Roman made copy of a Late Period Egyptian baboon. However, it is difficult to date as many original Egyptian sculptures have heavy Roman restoration.

It is believed this baboon comes from the Mattei family collection in Rome. It was acquired by the 18th century collector Henry Blundell of Ince Blundell Hall in Lancashire. Henry Blundell built up a collection of nearly 600 marble and bronze sculptures, over 400 of which were from the ancient world.

The baboon sculpture came into the collections of National Museums Liverpool in 1959 as a part of the Ince Blundell collection. The marble sculpture of Artemis displayed in the National Conservation Centre is also from the same collection. Other pieces of classical marble and bronze sculpture from the Ince Blundell collection are on display at the Walker Art Gallery, the Lady Lever Art Gallery and at World Museum Liverpool, where the greatest number of examples can be found.

Conservation

The baboon statuette was recently conserved. Using cotton wool swabs, the sculpture was cleaned with a synperonic mix (a type of detergent in white spirit and water) and then with acetone. The deteriorated resin fills were replaced with new ones and finally the surface was coated with Cosmaloid wax in white spirit.