Julieta Herrera Conservation

Introduction

I worked for six months at the Crystal Palace Dinosaur Park with SSHC (Specialists in Heritage Conservation) alongside a team of 14 conservators. The park’s famous concrete dinosaur sculptures date from the Victorian era and were created in 1851 for the Great Exhibition.

My work involved the conservation of large-scale dinosaur and mammal sculptures, including steam cleaning, mortar repairs, and the reconstruction of significant areas such as an ichthyosaur flipper and the dorsal surface of a labyrinthodont. I also applied Keim mineral paint, an ecological coating that chemically bonds with masonry through silicification, to numerous sculptures.

Condition Before Treatment

The labyrinthodont exhibited a substantial crack along the dorsal surface, extending to the tail. Mortar surrounding the crack had become delaminated and unstable, resulting in a large area of loss that required reconstruction. Additional areas showed minor cracking, some of which had progressed into more significant material loss.

Treatment

After removing loose and delaminated material, I installed a new armature consisting of curved steel supports and expanded metal lath. This framework provided a secure base for the repair mortar and allowed the missing section of the sculpture to be remodelled and textured to match the surrounding original fabric. Once the mortar had fully cured, the entire sculpture was painted with Keim mineral paint, providing a uniform finish while protecting the surface and enhancing the overall appearance of the sculpture.