Preparing the chairs

Gilded furniture is made of wood covered with a layer of gesso; a plaster-like material made of chalk and glue. In areas where the surface has been damaged, the timber underneath must be cleaned and prepared before the loss is filled with gesso putty.

The chairs are decorated with around 47 small gilded balls each. Out of the six chairs being worked on, 117 of these were missing altogether and needed to be replaced; many of the remaining ones were damaged and needed to be repaired.