Returning Ballaarat’s coat of arms to past glory

IT was Barbara Cytowicz’s eagle eyed spotting of the Ballaraat coat of arms, originally hung in the foyer of Civic Hall, auction listing that culminated in its purchase by the Save Civic Hall group.

The signed painting by well known Ballarat artist and sign writer Angus Henderson is now under the expert eye of Christine and Duncan Rolley of Artifact Conservation.

In order to donate the painting to the City of Ballarat in the best condition possible, the Save Civic Hall group called in the Rolleys to undertake conservation of the painting.

The coat of arms is on two panels of masonite joined together measuring 250cm by 190cm.

Mr Rolley said, “It appears the board was primed before painting so there is not a lot of moisture as masonite can be unstable due to its acidic content.”

Mrs Rolley said, “Our role as conservators is to ensure it is not only chemically and physically stable but hopefully assist in the longevity of the painting.”

Save Civic Hall’s secretary Merle Hathaway said considering it had been storage in a garage for twenty years before the group bought it at auction, “[the painting] has acquired a few scuffmarks and scratches and probably some discolouration of the paint and this is the first time it has been professionally assessed and conserved.”

The artwork, upon donation to the council, will be reinstalled between the two internal entrance doors in the foyer of Civic Hall where it was originally mounted presumably at the opening on 20 August 1956.

The refurbished Civic Hall is set to reopen early March.