Conservation and Preservation of Historic Plasterwork: The Study of Decorative Pineapples of the Royal Alcazar of Seville

ABSTRACT

The study of materials and constructive systems for the conservation and preservation of architectural heritage is of great relevance in the case of the Royal Alcazar of Seville, a World Heritage Site since 1987. This palatial complex stands out for its plasterwork decorations and this work aims to study the most significant anomaly: the detachment of all the pineapples presented on the sebka surfaces. The present study focused on the organoleptic inspection of pineapples, together with a planimetric survey and the study of their environmental conditions. The study developed has allowed (i) to establish the hypothesis of the different fixation systems used over time; (ii) to identify anomalies present in decorative pineapples; and (iii) to analyse recent emergency actions undertaken in the pineapples to prevent their detachment. The results obtained represent novel information of historical, artistic, and constructive interest in these ornamental pieces in plaster, useful for future conservation and restoration interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• ancient plasterwork
• anomalies
• maintenance
• preservation

Acknowledgments

This publication and research activity is part of the I+D+i PGC2018-093470-B-I00 project financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and Marta Moya Fierro appreciate the grant MEC80190097 financed by the ANID.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

¹ The شبكة is a rhomboid geometric interlace, covering walls, arches, walls, or other walls. In our case, it is sebka openwork of Almohad tradition, made with plaster work that recalls traditions from Andalusian (mainly Cordoba and Granada) (Hernández Núñez and Morales 1999).