Robin Masi Drawings/Mixed Media

La Pieta Statue Restoration Project
Holy Family Parish, Concord, Mass.
In Memory of

Joseph L. Masi
1930 - 2007

A 2/3rds lifesize reproduction of Michelangelo's Pieta of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome is being restored and cleaned by Ivan Myjer and Miroslav Maler of Building Monument Conservation from Arlington.The statue is being restored after years of sitting in the lovely grove of pine trees in downtown Concord, Massachusetts. However, 50+ years of acid rain, New England winters, tree sap and branches had made much of the statue brown and green from the elements.

The statue is made from Carrera marble, the same mountain and quarries in Italy where Michelangelo attained his original marble for the St. Peter's Pieta and much of his sculptures created in the Renaissance. The reproduction was carved in a studio in Carrera and shipped to Concord. By the weathering and reproduction style the statue is estimated to be from the 1940's or 50's. One of Mary's fingers was chipped off and Miroslav has carved her a new finger which is now fully visible. The cleaning process takes environmentally friendly chemicals and a three week process of hand, pump spray and mechanical cleaning.

Local Concord resident Robin Masi, an artist who is interested in the statue, donated the funds to the parish to have the statue restored and cleaned in her father, Joseph L. Masi's memory, who died in May 19, 2007.

Ivan and Miroslav both headed up the restoration of stonework at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City and have done many historical restoration projects throughout the U.S. and, recently, of Plymouth Monument.

Father Fleming, pastor of Holy Family Parish, supported the project. It is believed the original reproduction statue was facilitated to come to Concord by a past priest, Father York. However, much more about the origins of the statue and how it came to Concord is not known at this time.

Joseph L. Masi was a retired Colonel in the USAF and Stanford Research Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Kings College, London and other graduate degrees from Stanford University, University of Illinois, and his BFA from the U.S. Naval Academy. He lived in San Francisco with his wife, Susan. He had three children: Eric, Renée and Robin; and five grandchildren Dave, Dan, Tyler, Ben, and Greta.

For further information please email:
Robin Masi
or
Ivan Myjer

Thank you for your interest in this important restoration project for the town of Concord and Holy Family Parish.

*Piet (before)* *September, 2007*	La Pieta Statue Restoration Project Holy Family Parish, Concord, Mass. In Memory of Joseph L. Masi 1930 - 2007 A 2/3rds lifesize reproduction of Michelangelo's Pieta of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome is being restored and cleaned by Ivan Myjer and Miroslav Maler of Building Monument Conservation from Arlington.The statue is being restored after years of sitting in the lovely grove of pine trees in downtown Concord, Massachusetts. However, 50+ years of acid rain, New England winters, tree sap and branches had made much of the statue brown and green from the elements. The statue is made from Carrera marble, the same mountain and quarries in Italy where Michelangelo attained his original marble for the St. Peter's Pieta and much of his sculptures created in the Renaissance. The reproduction was carved in a studio in Carrera and shipped to Concord. By the weathering and reproduction style the statue is estimated to be from the 1940's or 50's. One of Mary's fingers was chipped off and Miroslav has carved her a new finger which is now fully visible. The cleaning process takes environmentally friendly chemicals and a three week process of hand, pump spray and mechanical cleaning. Local Concord resident Robin Masi, an artist who is interested in the statue, donated the funds to the parish to have the statue restored and cleaned in her father, Joseph L. Masi's memory, who died in May 19, 2007. Ivan and Miroslav both headed up the restoration of stonework at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City and have done many historical restoration projects throughout the U.S. and, recently, of Plymouth Monument. Father Fleming, pastor of Holy Family Parish, supported the project. It is believed the original reproduction statue was facilitated to come to Concord by a past priest, Father York. However, much more about the origins of the statue and how it came to Concord is not known at this time. Joseph L. Masi was a retired Colonel in the USAF and Stanford Research Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Kings College, London and other graduate degrees from Stanford University, University of Illinois, and his BFA from the U.S. Naval Academy. He lived in San Francisco with his wife, Susan. He had three children: Eric, Renée and Robin; and five grandchildren Dave, Dan, Tyler, Ben, and Greta. For further information please email: Robin Masi or Ivan Myjer Thank you for your interest in this important restoration project for the town of Concord and Holy Family Parish.	Christ detail (before)


*Mary's Thumb (before)* September, 2007	*Carrera Marble attached* Restoring Mary's thumb September 15, 2007	*Mary's Hand (after)* Restoring Mary's thumb September 17, 2007

*Robin Masi*	*Miroslav Maler, Stone Carver*	*Ivan Myjer and Miroslav Maler* Applying Cleaning Solutions

	*La Pieta (after)* *September 28, 2007*