Sgraffito in Rozavales (Monforte de Lemos)

The façades where work was done have a continuous decorative lime cladding on the masonry, with a drop design using the technique known as incised graffito, by selective removal of material from the second layer without exposing the underlying mortar layer. The parts of the smoothed surface reserved for higher levels are aesthetically reinforced by whitewashing, as is customary in this type of cladding.

Faults were detected during the early stages of the intervention, some in the shape of large and medium-sized cavities, displacements, recent application of cement mortar and even moderate biological colonisation. A proposal was made to conserve and anchor the existing remains, eliminate extraneous elements, clean biopatina and reintegrate the material based on supporting documentation.

The reintegration of the decorative cladding was carried out on the basis of a historical photograph of the exterior of the church of Rozavales provided by the head of cultural heritage of the Diocese of Lugo. The unknown remnants of the composition were not recreated and were solved by means of a neutral mortar.

This intervention was part of the project known as the Pacto pola Paisaxe na Ribeira Sacra 2020–2022