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A treasure within a cabinet from Cuba
José Manso Gómez, Textile and Panel Painting Conservator, 1953-1992A treasure within a cabinet from Cuba
José Manso Gómez, Textile and Panel Painting Conservator, 1953-1992
It came from Cuba. They sent it along with a picture they gave me so that I could restore it. When I had finished my work I turned it around and I heard a bang on the floor. "What's this," I wondered. On opening the cabinet, there was a hollow area with boxes tucked away. Inside the boxes, the first thing I found was a gold denture, also some earrings, a few rings... there were many objects, jewellery, many of which bore a price tag. I handed it all over to Sotomayor.
He began to work at the Museum as a carpenter and later, after a while as a gallery attendant, he joined the restoration workshop, carrying out carpentry work which was his specialty. His father also worked at the Museo Nacional del Prado and helped evacuate works of art during the Spanish Civil War.
Interview recorded on February 11, 2015
Interview index
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My father worked at the Prado Museum -
My initiation in woodwork -
Sotomayor proposed that I work in the halls and Sánchez Cantón transferred me to the atelier -
Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor -
A treasure within a cabinet from Cuba -
1946. placement of a large work by Vicente López on the ceiling -
1961. An attempted robbery -
1994. The Holy Familiy by Sebastiano del Piombo, from the Cathedral of Burgos -
1974. The Portrait of Carmen Martínez-Bordiú, by Salvador Dalí -
Working as a joiner and restitching canvases -
Wooden support. Doing things my way -
Works have a life of their own and they look at you -
The impact of El Greco -
A lot of life in the work done, eight years at the atelier -
Visiting the Museum, before and after
- Collective
- Restoration
- RDF
- RDF
Restoration
Rafael Alonso Alonso
Restorer, 1978-2016
María Teresa Dávila Álvarez
Restorer, 1982-2013
Rocío Dávila Álvarez
Restorer, 1974-2015