As a restoration technician specialised in textile and tapestry, Beatrice Campanella approaches her profession as a surgeon: she treats ancient textile creations to 'heal' their wounds and repair the ravages of time. First, she makes a diagnosis by analysing the material with a digital microscope, in order to find out exactly what the textile fibre is and ascertain the weaving technique used by the original weaver. Then, she operates on the item using her hands, with surgical accuracy. “The preliminary analysis is the most challenging part, but also the most fascinating to me,” Beatrice says. “I literally have the chance to touch history with my hands, detecting the handiwork of craftspeople who lived centuries ago, and getting a close-up of details that you do not normally see, when you go and visit a museum.”
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