We are completing the staining, sizing, and installation of the balcony railings on the side sections of the first floor.
We are continuing to mold the missing roof sections, then staining and placing them.
We are filling the space between the main roof and the small central roof by adding a roof section that continues the main roof.
We are cutting, placing, molding, and staining plates for the rear roof.
On Monday, June 23, we are convening the model restoration steering committee to address the final questions regarding the restoration work. Here is the report:
Minutes of the Steering Committee Meeting for the Restoration of the Chinese Palace Model
June 23, 2025, Royal Museums of Art and History
Attendees:
- Marianne Decroly, art restorer, Professor of Sculpture Conservation-Restoration in the Art Conservation and Restoration section at ENSAV La Cambre.
- Christophe Dosogne, art historian, assistant to Diane Hennebert for the Chinese Palace project.
- Diane Hennebert, Managing Director of the Chinese Palace non-profit organization.
- Nathalie Vandeperre, Curator of the Far East section at the Royal Museums of Art and History.
- Thibaut De Coster, restorer of the Chinese Palace model.
The meeting begins with Thibaut De Coster’s presentation of the ongoing work and the various points to be discussed during the meeting. The committee notes the good progress of the work.
- Polychromy
As the work is well underway, we can better assess the rendering of the 3D print filament in relation to the other wood tones of the model.
The restorers conducted some gilded tests which appeared inconclusive. Marianne Decroly deplores the green hues of the filament, which do not enhance the rest of the work. She suggests trying a slightly ochre yellow shade. Thibaut De Coster applies a transparent glaze of Golden brand ochre yellow acrylic paint, diluted with a little walnut stain, to a sample of a test piece. This sample gains the committee’s approval. The resulting very light shade removes the coldness of the filament color, clearly distinguishes itself from the rest of the model, and evokes the color of wood.
It is decided that this shade will be applied to the facade inscriptions, the loggia panels (the dragons and adjacent panels), as well as to the embossed motifs on the columns.
The committee inspects the model to assess the color differences within the brown shades applied to the resin pieces. Marianne Decroly points out that some pieces are poorly stained, lacking color in the crevices; the central bas-relief piece above the central roof appears lighter than those positioned next to it. She also mentions the color variations within the same piece, which diminishes the legibility of the model’s “wood” effect.
Christophe Dosogne also mentions that the resin roof trusses do not have the same shade as the rest.
As the work is ongoing, the restorers will take these remarks into account and address them.
- The Roof Ridge Piece
Since the model must be separable into three parts, Thibaut De Coster proposes several solutions for the ridge piece. The committee recommends the solution of creating a U-shaped receptacle along the entire length of the roof into which the ridge piece can be inserted. This solution resembles the photo from the Shanghai Notebook. Thibaut De Coster explains that to install it, the three elements must first be secured together, and then the ridge piece can be placed in the designated space.
- The Base
Diane Hennebert draws the committee’s attention to the narrowness of the board on which the model is built. To prevent any accidents, it is planned to create a wider base of +/- 40 cm on the sides of the model. At the front, since the board is wider, a 20 cm edge will be sufficient.
Diane Hennebert suggests securing the model to the base by constructing access hatches to access a substantial and hidden fastening system inside the base.
- The Rear of the Model
To ensure the model is enclosed by wooden panels at the rear, it is decided to create a structure in the center of the model that will allow for the attachment of battens into which custom-cut planks will be inserted, closing off the entire structure with cleats.
- The Lighting
After considering various possibilities, given the lack of blackout capability in the workshop and the difficulty of accessing it in the evening when light is less abundant, it is decided to address the lighting issue during the installation of the model at its exhibition location. Thibaut De Coster assures the committee that the vibrations caused by drilling holes in the base will be risk-free once the model is placed on its definitive pedestal.
The committee then visits the proposed location for exhibiting the model within the museum. It is located on the large landing, above the Totem, in front of the permanent exhibition rooms of the museum’s “Asia” section. Nathalie Vandeperre indicates that she is awaiting the museum’s management approval to initiate the preparatory work for this exhibition. Diane Hennebert will contact the director, Géraldine David, to confirm the project and its terms. The project is to exhibit the model with some elements illustrating the restoration work and to enhance this presentation with a selection of furniture and objects from the Chinese Palace preserved in the museum’s reserves.
The committee congratulates the restorers on their work; the restorers thank the committee members for their advice and decisions.
As requested during the committee meeting, we are improving the staining of the resin roof trusses so that they better harmonize with the existing wooden trusses.
Using a soldering iron, we are creating a precision tool to perforate the 3D-printed parts that require holes.
We are staining the panels with the central facade inscriptions and placing them.
We are cutting and placing the small laths beneath the small roof of the central part of the facade.
We are staining the loggia medallions and railings with an ochre/yellow shade, in accordance with the steering committee’s decision.
We have noticed that the left loggia tends to sag slightly. This sensitive point has been observed in the past, as we noticed that the balcony molding was severed at this location. Furthermore, it was at this location on the building that props were installed after 2013. We are therefore placing a reinforcement inside the model to counteract this sagging.
We are resin-molding, staining, and sizing the friezes in the depth of the loggias.
We are continuing to place the small carved wooden pieces of the roof fields.
