The Effect of Using resins on restoration and conservation statues of the four babies angels at the French Consulate in Alexandria " Practical Analytical Approach "

The French Consulate building in Alexandria represents a distinctive architectural and plastic character related to the state of the historical period in which the city of Alexandria was a city of a cosmopolitan character and diversity in cultures and races,

And the statues of angelic children have been subjected to a set of damages over the course of 110 years, resulting from the use of raw materials that are inconsistent with artificial stone, the basic material for construction, through a set of structural problems such as:

- The use of wood material in the internal reinforcement, led to the deterioration of the structural structure of the stone material internally and externally as a result of the instability of the dimensions of the wood and its expansion and shrinkage according to the nature of the atmosphere.

- The use of inconsistent materials such as polyester, gypsum, and wood in the edges led to their crumbling and erosion, completely obliterating the details of the statues.

Results :

1- Resins offer plastic and structural advantages that make them the ideal solution for the application of restoration and reshaping operations for the eroded parts of the bodies of the statues of the four angels.

2- Plastics (polyester) achieve various capabilities to re-sculpt parts that have been completely damaged, such as fabrics, face details, and plant leaflets, and integrate with the nature of organic formation for the rest of the details and elements used.

3- The use of insulated (epoxy) non-rusting iron or stainless steel as a support for the statues of the four angels gives a longer life span to the statues.

4- What distinguishes the nature of the raw material (artificial stone) is its ability to withstand tensile strength, which contributed to the steadfastness of the statues over the course of 110 years, despite the damages and damages they suffered.

Recommendations:

1- Paying attention to the need for all restoration and completion work to be done by specialists in order to preserve the aesthetic and visual values of the statues of the four angels.

2- The use of plastics and the capabilities they provide preserves the longevity of the statues and their steadfastness over time in front of the factors of sculpture and erosion.

3- The use of internal reinforcement and insulation materials suitable for the external surface of the statue has contributed to increasing the longevity of the statue.