They are looking for sponsors for the restoration of 30 murals in the Capuchinos Church.

Located in the heart of Nueva Córdoba is the Sacred Heart Church , whose construction began in 1928 and was inaugurated in 1933. Designed by the Italian architect and painter Augusto Ferrari , this was the first Argentine church made of reinforced concrete. Its construction evokes human existence and its relationship with God, with elements of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romanesque architecture.

The building's architectural and cultural legacy is so important that in 2008 it was chosen as one of the seven Man-Made Wonders of the Province and was a favorite attraction for the five million tourists who visited Córdoba last summer.

Inside, there are 30 murals donated by Ferrari to the congregation of the Capuchin Friars toward the end of the church's construction. The works—which narrate the life cycle and miracles of Saint Francis based on images by 19th-century Italian, Spanish, and Belgian painters—were executed using a very particular and rarely used technique: gilded mosaics for the skies and paint for the rest of the composition. However, the passing of time and inclement weather—such as rain and humidity—caused deterioration of the murals.

THE MARTYRS OF JERUSALEM . The first mural surveyed is located in the main nave and is the one with the greatest number of pathologies.

The project . In 2024, restorer Marcela Mammana won second prize from the National Arts Endowment in the "Artistic Appraisal of Temples and Sacred Spaces" competition with her project "Survey and Enhancement of 30 Heritage Murals from the Capuchin Church in Córdoba, designed by architect Augusto Ferrari."

Thanks to this award and the support of the Córdoba Culture Agency , a survey is being conducted to prepare a report for its future restoration. The work consists of identifying the pathologies of these 30 murals (367 cm wide by 180 cm high, those in the main nave, at a height of 12 meters) and those located in the main nave, the transept, and the end wall of the church (these smaller ones).

“I was always fascinated by this church, then I met Augusto Ferrari’s family and fell in love with his magic, his genius, his history, his life. I had the good fortune to meet his daughter Susana , who is no longer with us, but her children Leo and Gerardo , her grandchildren, family and friends of Ferrari, like Liliana Pittarello , a scholar of his work in Italy, keep me in that magical dimension that allows me to enjoy researching and recovering the work of the great Ferrari, still underappreciated in all its magnitude,” Mammana begins.

Upon learning of the restorer's award, the Córdoba Culture Agency endorsed the project and collaborated with the scaffolding to begin the work. " Raúl ( Sansica ) also assured that the Agency will sponsor one of the restorations, possibly the first," he says.

In this first stage, samples have been taken for analysis, and one of the partners is Ceprocor , which is working on the tests. “They will sponsor the first samples I took from the most damaged mural, and we will finally be able to determine what materials it is made of. This is very valuable because it provides us with useful information when planning the materials for its restoration; in addition to providing documentation about the work and the artist's techniques,” explains Mammana.

THE GORCOMIAN MARTYRS . The mural is peeling, missing parts, and has been repainted.

The next step will be to begin the restoration work, which will be done one or two murals per month. "I had already restored the Cura Brochero altar. It took three months, and the murals' pathologies are similar. The humidity has caused the plaster to swell, pushing the mosaics apart and causing the paint to fall off," he explains.

The most important thing in any intervention, the restorer continues, is to remember to respect the original, as poor interventions often hinder the restoration process and cause more damage than time can cause. "Cleaning is one of the most important and exciting steps, but it's very delicate, because you must be careful to respect the patinas and original materials," the professional assures.

Sponsors . The project includes a patronage program that will be presented to the public in an open talk and will seek to recruit companies or individuals to sponsor the works. “The plan is for each mural to be sponsored by a sponsor. We will give a talk explaining the history of the murals and the importance of restoring them so they are not lost. We want to encourage public and private entities, as well as other interested parties, to contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of temples and heritage sites. We don't have a date yet, but it will be in May because the idea is to begin restoring the first mural in June.”

Although the investment needed for the complete restoration has not yet been determined, the Capuchin friars will also open an account to receive donations for the murals.

Marcela Mammana

MAMMANA . The art restorer and expert has been restoring works of art for private and public entities since 1993.

After specializing in countries such as Italy and the Netherlands, between 2011 and 2013, Mammana was in charge of the comprehensive interior restoration of the Villa María Cathedral and in 2014 she worked on the Buffo Chapel in Unquillo, where she spent a year restoring frescoes in the Italian style, becoming the first Argentine and South American professional to apply the latest technology in mural fixing, patented by the University of Florence.

Recently, between 2023 and 2024, the artist was also in charge of the restoration of altarpieces, moldings, images, and murals in the Córdoba Cathedral.