"During conservation work this year, specialists discovered seven bullet wounds, inflicted by German troops during the Second World War, in the copper of the Madonna and Child statue that stands atop Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille, the basilica crowning the city's highest peak. Known locally as la Bonne Mère (the good mother), she is said to watch over sailors, fishermen and all Marseillais."
"It was in preparing the surface that the team uncovered the Second World War bullet holes, four of which had pierced the infant Jesus's hand, arms and belly, and the other three, the Virgin's body. The statue is made of copper with an internal iron structure. To date, the gilding has been redone seven times due to corrosion from the sea air and wider city pollution. This time round, David brought the surface back to the copper using sandblasting."
Specialists uncovered seven Second World War bullet wounds in the copper Madonna and Child statue atop Notre-Dame de la Garde during conservation work. The statue, known as la Bonne Mère, overlooks Marseille and can be seen from up to 20km at sea. The statue, its stone pedestal and four terrace angels were fully scaffolded from February to late October for extensive restoration, during which a blinking light was installed inside the scaffolding to replicate the Madonna's beating heart. The copper figure has an internal iron structure, has been regilded seven times because of sea-air corrosion, and was sandblasted to reveal and repair the wartime damage.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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