In 2024, Lanzini & Sons restored ten statues across the Saint Vincent School for Boys campus in San Rafael, California, including figures outside Saint Vincent Church. The collection included Carrara marble statues and concrete statues.
Some of the marble figures had accumulated layers of paint that were chipping and degrading. Our statue restoration work included sandblasting paint removal and damage repair.
Standing group with children
Before
After
Carved replacement arms and hands
The kneeling figure at the grotto is marble. Its arms had broken off.
Kneeling marble figure missing forearms → replacement arms/hands
Before
After
We custom-carved replacement arms and hands and cemented them to the figure, returning its raised prayer gesture.
We also repaired extensive pitting in the surviving marble.
Figure at grotto
Before
After
Repairs across the campus
Across the campus statues, we recarved marble fingers and used molds and filler for some smaller losses.
Garden group
Before
After
The wider work also addressed moisture-related surface problems on some statues.
We later returned for stained glass restoration in 2025-2026. Our 2024 work at Holy Trinity Parish in El Dorado Hills involved a marble statue of Mary and carved replacement arms for Jesus on the small crucifix she holds.
Project location: Saint Vincent Church, 1 St. Vincent Dr., San Rafael, CA 94903.
For damaged statues at your church, send overall and detail photographs, along with the location and any known history of the pieces.
