Cityhall Den Bosch: the gilt leather hangings from the Alderman's room
At the end of January 2024, restoration work began on various historical art objects in Den Bosch City Hall. This includes the gold leather from the Aldermen's Room, which was reinstalled in April 2025, and the Mayor's Room, which will be completed in 2026.
Preliminary research
Extensive preliminary research was conducted before the conservation process. This research was crucial for gathering and analyzing material-technical data and documentation on the objects, as well as consulting with experts on ethical considerations. Tests were carried out for each step of the treatment to ensure the most appropriate methods were chosen.
The treatment
At the studio in Maastricht, a large team of conservators has been diligently working on the gold leather panels. The process consists of several phases. First, the leather panels are separated by carefully opening the seams, and consolidation is applied where necessary to prevent material loss. Next, the back is cleaned, and any glue residue is removed. The front is treated with a Borax-PVA gel, effectively removing surface dirt in a controlled manner.
Some panels are warped, and these distortions are corrected through a careful process of controlled humidifying and the application of pressure to flatten the leather. The SRAL gold leather team works collaboratively, alternating and complementing each other’s skills. All 92 leather panels—covering a total of 39 m²—will be fully restored. After restoration, a number of steps followed in the treatment including installing new connectors between the panels, rejoining the leather sections, setting up a hanging system, and finally returning the panels to Den Bosch.
