O túmulo de D. Afonso de Portugal (séc. XV) - proteger para conservar

the present work concerns the conservation of the tomb of d. afonso de portugal (1390-1400), the first born of king d. jo？o i, a major work of art from the portuguese medieval period. the tomb set - ark, effigy and baldachin - is composed by gilded and silvered copper plates fixed to a wooden structure. the techniques of decoration - the fire gilding and amalgam silvering - were used as coatings of the copper substrate, having a dual function - decorative and protective. it is emphasize the alteration and conservation issues of these coatings and the solutions adopted in the application of a protective layer during the tomb conservation, considering the exhibition place, the cathedral of braga, a strong constraint to preserve the object for long period of time.