Study Day of the "Stone-Plaster-Earth" Group "Plaster in All Its Forms"
Submitted by Marina Herriges on 06 May 2025
Friday, May 16, 2025
Bernard Palissy Auditorium
Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France, Paris
The "Stone-Plaster-Earth" group of the SFIIC, historically stemming from the "Stone-Plaster" group, brings together various heritage conservation professionals around these materials used in monuments and sculpture: conservators, conservation scientists, materials engineers, sculpture restorers, and companies working on historic monuments.
From material characterization to conservation-restoration methods, including implementation techniques, the group addresses all topics related to the preservation of these mineral materials in sculpted and built heritage.
Whether in ashlar or rubble masonry, decorative features (sculpted ornamentation, marble stones, etc.), or sculpture (including polychrome), stone is a predominant material in buildings across France, with a wide variety of types and petrophysical properties. Its identification, understanding of its implementation techniques, study of alteration processes, and the evaluation and development of appropriate restoration methods are therefore major challenges for the conservation of built heritage and museum collections. The "Stone-Plaster-Earth" group is committed to sharing knowledge and feedback on these issues, as well as disseminating scientific advances and technical innovations.
Plaster also plays a significant role in monuments and artistic production, both as a mortar (bedding mortar, joints, coatings, etc.), as a decorative element (molded plasters, stuccoes...), and as a sculptural material (casts, preparatory models…). Due to its porous properties and sensitivity to water, the specific conservation issues associated with this material also warrant close attention within the group.
Since 2009, a third material has become an integral part of the group: earth. This includes archaeological objects and museum works (sketches, sculptures, ceramics...) made of fired or unfired clay, as well as buildings and monuments constructed with this material.
The activities of the "Stone-Plaster-Earth" group are mainly centered around the organization of an annual thematic study day (in spring) and an interim meeting held at the end of the year. The latter allows participants to share updates in the field (publications, conferences, ongoing theses...) and to prepare for the study day. These gatherings bring together members and speakers from the three SFIIC college categories—"scientific," "curators," and "conservator-restorers"—a core principle of SFIIC's structure.