“Few museums in the world can boast of having such collections”
Pedro M. Escudero Díez is a restorer. A native of Valladolid, in Spain, he generously offered his skills and his professionalism to the service of the museum this summer. He shares his impressions of the museum and its collections with us on the eve of his departure.
Born in Valladolid, where he began his first studies in preservation, Pedro obtained first of all a diploma in preservation and conservation of works of art from the Catholic University of Portugal and then specialized at the Complutense University of Madrid. Throughout his young career, he has worked for the diocese and the Cathedral of Valladolid, the national Museum of Sculpture, the Múzeum Mesta Bratislavy and the Edades del Hombre Foundation.
Pedro, what brought you to Jerusalem and why did you decide to throw yourself into this adventure?
I came to Jerusalem last year as a tourist for only three days. However, I wanted to discover this city in depth, the particularities of this Holy City shared with other religions and churches. I also followed the Terra Sancta Museum on the social networks and I was fascinated by its collections. In the middle of May, as I was thinking about what I was going to do in the summer, I thought that it could be interesting to offer my services to the Terra Sancta Museum, that perhaps the Museum would be interested by my professional skills. This way I could take advantage of the summer to have a unique experience helping the Custody, while contributing my stone to the building and at the same time discovering daily life in Jerusalem. It was definitely slightly crazy to take such a hasty decision, especially taking into account the situation in the region, but I don’t regret a thing.
Can you talk to us about the work you have done and the approximate number of works you worked on?
The museum possesses an interesting collection of gold and silver pieces which required work. It was mainly on these pieces that I worked : cups, ostensories, trays, altar cruets… Most of the works were gifts by popes and kings to the Custody of the Holy Land . However, I also worked on sculptures, painting, weapons and pieces of furniture. A total of about forty pieces.
Is there one that is particular caught your attention?
Without a doubt: the sword of Godfrey of Bouillon. It is a work of great originality, even though all the works have an interesting story. I was also particularly excited by the pieces from Spain, offered by kings, like my compatriot King Phillip II of Spain. I was surprised to see the number of Spanish pieces in the museum as well as in the other shrines of the Custody. Restoring pieces of such historic and symbolic importance is always a great responsibility but also gives great satisfaction.
Which piece was the most difficult to restore and why?
In general, all the pieces I had to work on presented the same alterations and were fairly easy to deal with. The piece that probably took me most time, not because of its difficulty but because of the meticulous work it required, was a German neo-Gothic ostensory from the mid-19th century, which I had to completely take apart, with more than 100 tiny nuts and bolts.
What do you think of the Terra Sancta Museum project and what surprised you most ?
I was able to visit the Archaeological Museum which is in the Convent of the Flagellation and I found it very interesting, in particular for its modern museography respectful of the collection, and conceived in a very appropriate manner. This museum seems essential to me to understand the role of Christianity in the Holy Land. It completes well the other existing museums in the city, in particular the museums of Jewish and Muslim art. From this perspective, the future Museum of Art and History will become an institution of reference thanks to the richness of its collection. It will become an essential reference for experts and for all pilgrims who are art and history lovers. The great variety and quality of the works that it holds will let visitors discover art from all over Europe, which few museums in the world can boast of having.
You stayed at the Convent of the Flagellation, you were able to live side by side with the friars, what was your experience of “resident” of the Old City of Jerusalem? Has this changed your perception of the Holy Land?
I could not be more grateful to the Franciscans for their hospitality and their care. My expectations were more than fulfilled. The fact of sharing community life with the friars – prayers, meals… – allowed me to learn more about their mission here, as Guardians of the Holy Places, and also the history and customs of the city. Living with the professors of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum was fascinating; I learnt a lot from them during the conversations I had with them. Living in the Old City, in the Muslim Quarter, is another reason for my gratitude : I lived near the Holy Sepulchre, where there is the praetorium, in streets full of history which unfortunately are deserted by pilgrims because of the war. On the one hand, I appreciated being able to go to the Holy Sepulchre and other shrines in a very intimate way but I realize that this is not the “normal state” of the Holy Land and that many people are in difficulty because they live on the economy of the pilgrimages. My stay here allowed me to “put down on paper” many biblical and above all evangelical scenes, and to understand slightly better the idiosyncrasy (the individual character) of this city which marks everyone who visits it.
What would you like to add in conclusion?
Once again, I would like to repeat my gratitude to the Custody and the team of the Terra Sancta Museum, in particular, Fra Stéphane Milovitch, its head. I am leaving very happy, impatient to return, having had some unforgettable experiences which have left their mark on me and convinced me that I received far more than I gave with my work. And I encourage all art and history lovers to visit the museum as soon as its opens, as they will not be disappointed.
