Published
This interview introduces the paintings restorer on the St Marie's team: his training, the English projects he is proud of, and why Heritage Lottery Fund grants include community feedback days.
Restoring altar panels at St Marie's
Silvano describes his role on the Widnes redevelopment: stabilising and cleaning late 1800s panel paintings that arrived in poor condition, then returning them for worship and heritage interpretation once the building work completed.
He explains why each painting becomes personal as condition, artist technique and history are studied layer by layer before treatment begins.
Training in Urbino, Italy
Silvano trained at the historic art academy in Urbino, studying traditional craft disciplines alongside museum collections that include masters such as Giotto and Donatello.
He connects that foundation to the careful, reversible methods used today at North West Murals Ltd for private collections, civic landmarks and Liverpool Archdiocese churches.
Civic and ecclesiastical work in England
Asked which English projects he recommends visiting, Silvano cites decorative restoration on the stair approach to the concert hall at St George's Hall, Liverpool.
He also describes uncovering historic stencilling at St Francis de Sales that had been hidden under eggshell paint, restored within the budget the Archdiocese could fund so worshippers could see what the church once looked like. He argues that covering murals or stencils with generic paint destroys historic value regardless of fashion.
Heritage workshops and reinstallation
Heritage Lottery Fund projects require feedback to the community. Silvano welcomes sold out workshop days at St Marie's and similar sessions with school groups at Holy Family, Crewe, because finished paintings are what most people see, not the slow studio work underneath.
He confirms he will be on site when the Widnes panels are hung on the altar, making sure handling and fixings do not undo the conservation work.
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