Although the original trompe l’oeil decoration had been painted over in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, peeling paint revealed its existence. Through decorative paint analysis and the creation of a special chemical process, the overpaint was successfully removed, allowing us to save the original decorative paint without damage. As a result, the entire decorative program used in the sanctuary could be conserved rather than repainted.
Clues to the trompe L' Oeil mural behind the pulpit were revealed after a fire consumed the pulpit curtain and blistered the paint. The same removal process revealed a perspective view into a chamber. Although the fire damage required restoration of certain parts of the decorative paint, most of the mural could be conserved. As seen in the above photo, the sanctuary after conservation.
ARCHITECT: Unknown, 1845
