Cathedral's 1888 wax santons restored after a century in storage
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Ten wax nativity figures from 1888, discovered three years ago in a Nice storage unit, have undergone their first restoration since the 19th century.
Ten wax santons belonging to Monaco Cathedral have been restored for the first time since they were made in 1888, after lying forgotten in a Nice storage unit for an unknown number of decades. The figures were rediscovered three years ago and have now completed a painstaking conservation process that addresses more than a century of deterioration.
While the full restoration work is complete, the santons are currently on temporary display in the Chapelle du Saint-Sacrement inside the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate on Avenue Saint-Martin. Visitors can view them there in the coming months before they return to their intended setting.
The figures are expected to be reinstalled in the cathedral's Christmas crib from December, meaning this year's nativity scene will include pieces that last appeared in Monaco well over a hundred years ago.