{"id":1320,"date":"2026-01-03T18:41:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T18:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/reproduction-of-a-16th-century-heraldic-coat-of-arms\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T19:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T19:06:35","slug":"reproduction-of-a-16th-century-heraldic-coat-of-arms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/reproduction-of-a-16th-century-heraldic-coat-of-arms\/","title":{"rendered":"Reproduction of a 16th-Century Heraldic Coat of Arms"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Reproduction of a 16th-Century Heraldic Coat of Arms<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tA Case History of Mould-Making and Scagliola Between Memory, Craftsmanship and Emotion<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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In the Biella area there is a heraldic bas-relief dating back to the early 16th century, preserved inside the home of a relative of the client. It is a work of great historical value which, out of respect for the artefact and for conservation reasons, cannot be moved or subjected to invasive procedures. <\/p>

Although not the owner of the property where the coat of arms is housed, the client feels a deep emotional bond with this family symbol and expressed the wish to have a faithful reproduction displayed in his own home. The aim was therefore to transfer the symbolic value of the artefact without in any way altering or removing the original from its historic location. <\/p>

This need led to a reproduction project based on a direct mould taken from the ancient bas-relief, followed by reconstruction in scagliola. The work involved a sequence of traditional, hands-on craft processes, documented step by step through images that tell the story of the material\u2019s transformation\u2014from taking the mould to creating the final piece. <\/p>

This case history retraces the main stages of the project, offering insight into the process that gave new life to a 16th-century coat of arms while fully preserving its historical and symbolic identity.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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A Family Symbol Spanning Five Centuries<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The heraldic coat of arms preserved in Biella is not merely a decorative element set into a wall: it is a fragment of history that has spanned more than five centuries. Its forms, now shaped by the passage of time, tell the story of a prominent Piedmontese family, its origins and the role it played in the local area. The upper cartouche, the central shield and the ornamental side scrolls are all typical features of Renaissance heraldry, immediately conveying a sense of authority and deep-rooted heritage. <\/p>

For the client, this coat of arms represents a profound connection with his own roots. Growing up knowing that this symbol belongs to one\u2019s family means experiencing history not as something distant, but as an integral part of everyday life. Precisely because of this value, however, the original could not be moved or subjected to invasive interventions. <\/p>

This is how the idea of a faithful reproduction came about: not a generic copy, but an exact rendition capable of conveying even the imperfections accumulated over time. The goal was to preserve the soul of the work, not merely its form. <\/p>

This project marks the beginning of a journey in which material becomes memory and restoration turns into a family story.<\/p>

The project was therefore conceived as a genuine act of memory preservation rather than a simple craft commission. Each phase was shared with the client, who was able to follow the rebirth of the coat of arms through photographs and regular updates. <\/p>

This collaboration made the entire process even more engaging, turning a technical intervention into a deeply emotional experience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Preparation of the Bas-Relief and Application of the Mould<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The on-site work began directly on the original piece, still set into its historic location in Biella. Working vertically on an ancient bas-relief requires a series of essential precautions: protecting the surrounding surfaces, preliminarily consolidating the most fragile areas, and carefully cleaning the sections that would later receive the moulding material. <\/p>

Each relief detail was carefully examined, as the coat of arms featured a complex modelling characterised by deep undercuts, heraldic scrolls and irregular surfaces. Before proceeding with the mould, it was essential to study the behaviour of the materials and identify the critical points that could have compromised the quality of the impression. <\/p>

This phase is never standardised: every ancient artefact has its own \u201cpersonality\u201d, shaped by cracks, abrasions and minor structural weaknesses. Recognising and respecting these features makes it possible to reproduce them faithfully in the copy, without falsification. <\/p>

The preparation concluded with the application of release agents, essential to ensure that the mould could be removed correctly without causing any damage to the original bas-relief. Only at this stage was it possible to move on to the next phase, the one that would translate the ancient material into a new working matrix. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Silicone Rubber and Plaster Jacket: Building the Mould<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Once the preparation was complete, silicone rubber was applied to the bas-relief, spread with slow and controlled movements to prevent the formation of air bubbles. This highly elastic material is capable of capturing even the finest details, such as the delicate incisions of the cartouche or the irregularities caused by the ageing of the surface. <\/p>

After the rubber had cured, the so-called plaster \u201cjacket\u201d was created: a rigid structure that encloses the flexible mould, preventing any deformation during the casting phase. The jacket is not merely a support, but a true protective shell that keeps the proportions of the impression perfectly intact. <\/p>

The moment of separation is always charged with tension. With measured and patient movements, the mould is detached from the original, finally revealing the complete impression of the coat of arms. In this step, the symbolic transfer of form takes place: what had been anchored to a historic wall for centuries now becomes a matrix ready to give birth to a new work. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Scagliola and Hemp Reinforcement: The Birth of Artificial Marble<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With the mould ready, the process moved on to the creation of the piece in scagliola. This material, used as an alternative to natural marble, makes it possible to achieve compact, polishable surfaces with great visual elegance. <\/p>

The mixture is prepared with precise proportions, as scagliola allows no margin for error: an incorrect consistency would compromise both the aesthetic result and the structural integrity. Inside the mould, before the full casting, a hemp reinforcement was inserted\u2014a traditional technique that strengthens the mass and ensures long-term durability. <\/p>

The casting itself was carried out in successive layers, ensuring that the material penetrated every recess of the mould. Each gesture was performed slowly and with full concentration, because at this stage the future of the work is decided. <\/p>

Once the casting was completed, the piece was left to rest, allowing the scagliola to set and acquire its final structure.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Demoulding, Sanding and Filling: Finishing the Piece<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After the setting time, the piece was demoulded and released from the mould. It is a particularly evocative moment: the bas-relief re-emerges as if it had just been carved, revealing every detail of the original coat of arms with remarkable fidelity. <\/p>

This is followed by the finishing stages, perhaps the most delicate of the entire process. Hand sanding, micro-filling and small, targeted restoration works remove imperfections and restore continuity to the surfaces. This is not about \u201cbeautifying\u201d, but about respecting the identity of the piece, preserving those subtle irregularities that tell the story of its historical origin. <\/p>

Each intervention is carried out using traditional tools, without industrial processes, because the final quality depends on the direct relationship between hand and material.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The Final Result: A Faithful Copy Full of Meaning<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Once the finishing work was completed, the scagliola coat of arms now stands as a true translation of the 16th-century original. The client was finally able to see the result in person: a copy capable of conveying the same visual and emotional impact as the ancient artefact. <\/p>

The emotion felt when seeing a family symbol materialised\u2014previously inaccessible\u2014was the true confirmation of the value of this project. Not a simple replica, but an object filled with memory, ready to become an integral part of everyday life. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Conclusions: When Restoration Becomes a Family Story<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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This case history shows how restoration and scagliola can become powerful tools of emotional continuity. A 16th-century heraldic coat of arms, preserved in Biella, now lives a new life in another home, without having lost any of its identity. <\/p>

A project that goes beyond technique, restoring value to time, to roots, and to the stories that every family carries with it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Reproduction of a 16th-Century Heraldic Coat of Arms A Case History of Mould-Making and Scagliola Between Memory, Craftsmanship and Emotion In the Biella area there is a heraldic bas-relief dating back to the early 16th century, preserved inside the home of a relative of the client. It is a work of great historical value which, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1306,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-senza-categoria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1320"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1324,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1320\/revisions\/1324"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matteolibanoro.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}