On April 2, we received a visit from several representatives of the King Baudouin Foundation, as well as the Jonckheere Fund, and the Chief of Staff to Queen Mathilde. Among these visitors, Valentine Henderiks, representative of the Perrier-d’Ieteren Fund for the King Baudouin Foundation, suggested establishing a steering committee composed of scientific experts and restorers to address outstanding questions. For example: the question of the model’s polychromy or how to distinguish new parts from original ones using distinct colors. We decided to organize a first meeting on April 15, 2025.
We are starting the plastiline molds for parts to be reproduced once or twice.
We had a visit from Gwenaëlle de Spa; the 3D prints are progressing well. We are analyzing the railings of the 1st floor, whose fan-shaped pattern appears distorted compared to the photo in the Shanghai Notebook. Gwenaëlle will rework this.
Using a fragment of the frieze from the central facade, we are molding and recomposing the entire frieze.
We are starting to create a silicone mold for a section of the roof. We are missing a similar roof piece. This is a complex piece. We are beginning with a silicone mold, which we will reinforce with a layer of plaster to prevent any deformation.
We are performing a graft on the damaged door frame and staining the doors of the central section and their frames.
We are continuing the structures under the balconies, with the addition of ‘S’ and ‘C’ shapes. This is a long and arduous task, as there are 10 structures and a hundred pieces to assemble.
To conclude the week, we are presenting the ground-floor doors of the central section. This will allow us to progress on the structure and define the measurements of the central pillars.