Conservation & Stabilization of Marble Statue
Angel of Grief
Stanford, CA

This monument was erected in 1901 as a memorial to Mrs. Leland Stanford’s brother, Henry Lathrop. It consists of a marble sculpture placed on a granite plinth and set at the center of a ceramic tile field. Unprotected from the environment and vandalized throughout the years, the monument was in poor condition. The marble sculpture had a weathered, textured surface with stains, soiling, and biological growth, as well as missing features such as an arm and fingers. The wrought and cast iron fence had several missing finials, broken pieces, heavy rust, and detached components.

ARG/CS undertook a conservation study of the monument, which included materials analysis for cleaning and treatment of the marble and granite, conservation and restoration of the wrought iron, and preservation treatments for the ceramic tile. This initially consisted of test panels and was followed by the stabilization of the most prominent features of the monument. The ARG/CS conservation team cleaned the statue of biological growth and staining. Masonry repairs were made to the marble to prevent the intrusion of water into concealed areas of the statue and its base. The marble was also chemically treated to reduce the effects of natural weathering and to prevent biological growth.