Cityhall in Maastricht- the gilt leather of the Mayor's Room
The wall covering in the Mayor's Room of the Maastricht Town Hall is a unique Chinoiserie gilt leather, one of the few remaining examples preserved as an ensemble in situ worldwide. Over the years, it became heavily stained. Additionally, later-applied varnishes yellowed, and the hanging system required improvement.
A Historical Masterpiece
This hand-painted 'leather wallpaper' features a continuous depiction of Chinese and Japanese motifs. It was specially made for the Mayor's Room by order of Mayor Van Slijpe. The commission was executed by a London gilt-leather workshop in 1737, and the wallpaper was installed in Maastricht a year later, costing approximately 1,200 guilders for around 66 m² of painted leather.
In short, gilt leather consists of rectangularly cut sheets of calfskin on which a layer of silver leaf was applied. A yellow-tinted transparent varnish was then added on top, creating the appearance of gold leaf. Often, repetitive reliefs were pressed in using wooden molds, or smaller punching motifs were stamped in. Only then was an oil painting of repeating motifs applied over the gold lacquer. To enhance the visual effect, a partial layer of varnish was often applied to some parts of the paint layer, resulting in a captivating interplay between matte and glossy surfaces on a gold-reflective background in the dimly-lit rooms.
Treatment
What distinguishes Maastricht gilt leather wallpaper is that it lacks relief printing or punching. Instead, it consists of large sheets of 'flat' leather, adhered together, on which a continuous image is applied. Unfortunately, in the 1960s, these wall surfaces were cut into vertical strips.
In 2014, a strip of the gilt leather wallpaper was brought to SRAL for preliminary research. This investigation focused on the structure and condition of the leather and its pictorial layers. A trial restoration was conducted to test various treatment methods, assessing their potential for structural and aesthetic improvement while preserving the object's aged appearance. Based on the results of this trial, a comprehensive treatment plan for the entire gilt-leather ensemble was developed.