Conservation of wall paintings

The restoration of wall paintings within the context of the living sacred tradition of Mahayana Buddhism poses several challenges, primarily the dichotomy between a studied scientific approach to pictorial integration and the religious aspirations of the community. The apparent failure of conservators working in the region to address community concerns is posing a threat to the survival of centuries of artistic output. This paper attempts to contextualize the community perception of conservation issues within the religious and socio-cultural milieu, and suggests possible solutions, using the local vocabulary of painting and religious texts to support a contemporary intervention. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die Restaurierung von Wandmalereien im Kontext der lebendigen heiligen Tradition des Mahayana Buddhismus geht mit diversen Schwierigkeiten einher, vor allem dem Zwiespalt zwischen dem wissenschaftlichen Ansatz zur malerischen Ergänzung und den religiösen Ansprüchen der Gemeinde. Das offensichtliche Unvermögen der in der Region arbei-tenden Restauratoren, auf die Bedürfnisse der Gemeinden einzugehen, stellt eine Bedrohung für das Überleben der jahrhundertealten Kunst-werke dar. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird versucht, die Wahrnehmung der Konservierungsprobleme durch die Gemeinde mit dem religiösen und soziokulturellen Milieu in einen Kontext zu bringen. Es werden mögliche Lösungen vorgeschlagen, bei denen das lokale Vokabular zur Malerei und religiöse Texte genutzt werden, um zeitgemäße Eingriffe zu unterstützen.

Il compito che mi sono prefisso è quello di fare un resoconto quanto più possibile essenziale del modo come si è deciso di intervenire sulla Camera degli Sposi e sul le decorazioni murali in essa contenute. La struttura dell'intervento sarà questa: una mia rapida introduzione, dopo di che Vasco Fassina illustrerà le indagini micro climatiche sull'inquinamento che sono state realizzate nell'ambiente della Came ra degli Sposi. Giuseppina Vigliano, anche per conto di Maurizio Marabelli, illustrerà le ricerche di tipo analitico fatte sulle su perfici dei dipinti, soprattutto allo scopo di individuare, e provare anche a risolve re, alcuni dei problemi critici e conservati vi più complessi, e cioè la determinazione delle caratteristiche, delle tecniche e dei materiali di esecuzione, così come anche l'analisi dei prodotti di deterioramento che si manifestano sulle superfici. Quindi tornerò ancora io ad illustrarvi i dati es senziali dell'esperienza di intervento ef fettuato nell'autunno passato nel primo lotto di lavori realizzati nella Camera degli Sposi. Presupposto rilevante è l'attenzione preoccupata sullo stato di conservazione dei dipinti nella Camera degli Sposi, che comincia a manifestarsi intorno alla metà degli anni settanta; preoccupazione che si manifesta soprattutto per l'evidente presenzaanche se non estesissima -di efflorescenze bianche che offuscava no in alcune parti il colore, della presenza in alcuni punti, soprattutto nel soffitto e nelle vele, di frammenti di pellicola pitto rica sollevata, con una chiara tendenza alla caduta e alla perdita; quanto bastava, dunque, per essere attenti sulla reale consistenza dei danni che si andavano manifestando e sulla conseguente op portunità di proporre un intervento ade guato di conservazione. Allo scopo fu interpellato un restauratore privato, il quale iniziò una serie di campa gne, di misurazioni termo-igrometriche, della durata di un mese, così come anche una serie di tasselli di pulitura che dove vano saggiare la possibilità di restituire alle superfici dipinte un dato cromatico vicino all'aspetto originario della pittura del Mantegna. Oltre ai danni segnalati, che sicuramente erano i più preoccupan ti, una condizione generale della superfi cie della Camera degli Sposi era di essere fortemente offuscata da sovrapposizioni di varie sostanze utilizzate nel corso dei restauri che con troppa frequenza erano stati effettuati negli ultimi decenni. Questa attenzione si manifestò nel 1975-76, con la decisione dell'allora Soprinten dente, llaria Toesca, di interpellare il Gabi netto Fotografico Nazionale per realizza re un'attenta e accuratissima documen tazione fotografica di tutte quante le su-101

Rainer, L., Gittins, M., Camardo, D., Piqué, F., Arcudi, A., Barnaba, C. & Bonaschi, M.L. (2017) Investigations into the 1938 restoration of Roman wall paintings in the tablinum of the House of the Bicentenary at Herculaneum. In: Linking Past and Future. Pre-Prints of the 18th Triennial Conference of ICOM-CC. Copenhagen: ICOM-CC.

Laino, N., Santamaria, U., Pelosi, C. & Agresti, G. (2017) Una sfida conservativa per il sito archeologico di Ercolano: ridurre la perdità di coesione della pellicola pittorica dei dipinti murali. In IGIIC (ed.) Lo State dell'Arte 15: 51-58. Firenze: Nardini Editore.

la découverTe eT la conservaTion de la peinTure murale caTalane La construction des églises du IX e au XII e siècle et leur décoration murale accompagnent la Reconquête des comtés catalans sur les musulmans. Elles témoignent de la récupération des territoires et de la restauration du christia-nisme, ainsi que de la puissance des seigneurs et de l'église. À la fin du XIX e et au début du XX e siècle, l'art médiéval est redécouvert et devient très apprécié en Europe. Les peintures murales sont copiées et publiées d'abord en France et plus tard en Catalogne. Cet intérêt entraîne la vente et le détachement des peintures dans les Pyrénées. En Catalogne, les campagnes de détachement des peintures murales ro-manes ont commencé dans les églises des vallées des Pyrénées au début des années 1920. La première opération concerna les peintures du XII e siècle de Santa Maria de Mur, vendues par l'église aux antiquaires qui les firent arra-cher par une équipe de restaurateurs italiens de Bergame ; ces peintures se trouvent actuellement au Musée des Beaux

“ΧΡΩΣΤΗΡΕΣ / PAINTBRUSHES. Wall-painting and vase-painting of the second millennium BC in dialogue” was an interdisciplinary symposium addressed to archaeologists, conservators of antiquities and artists specialized in the study of Aegean iconography. All were invited to Akrotiri, Thera, from 24 to 26 May 2013, to participate in open discussions on the dialectical relationship that developed between the arts of vase-painting and wall-painting in the Aegean during the second millennium BC.

The paper attempts to analyse the codes of the wall-painting art, not in order to confirm the self-evident (the aesthetic value of the wall paintings at Akrotiri, Thera) but with the aim of detecting their technique from the viewpoint of the visual artist of today. The presentation was accompanied by audiovisual material with referential axis the trace of the paintbrush then and now.

The church of St. George the Victorious in Mlado Nagorichane was built in the second half of the 16th century, and the wall painting, which had long been covered by limestone coatings, was created toward the end of the same century. It has long been noted by the scholars that the dedication, but also the architectural conception of the church, represents a kind of imitation of the church of St. George in Staro Nagorichane. With the removal of the limestone coatings, it was concluded that the painting program was created under the influence of the church in Staro Nagorichane, which is indicated by the numerous conceptual-thematic relations and similarities. Among the rich thematic units and cycles represented in the two churches in Nagorichane, is the hagiographic cycle of the patron, Saint George. The hagiographic cycle of the Cappadocian Great Martyr from the church in Mlado Nagoricane is visualized in the second zone under the Christological cycles, and above the representations of saints from the first zone. According to the preserved scenes, but also according to the fragments of several compositions, the cycle in the church in Mlado Nagorichane probably was consisted of eighteen scenes.
The first three scenes in Mlado Nagorichane, St. George before Emperor Diocletian, The Piercing of St. George with spears and The Martyrdom of St. George in prison with the stone, depicted on the south wall, are not divided by a borderline but are merged into one story. The fourth scene on the south wall depicts one of the most often illustrated tortures of St. George on the Wheel. The scene is followed by the composition in which St. George is brought again before the Emperor Diocletian, and in continuation is The Murder of the Christians, which are less frequently represented in the painted cycles of the saint. The following scene is also one of the most frequently included legends of The Martyrdom of St. George in the lime pit. The next scene on the south wall is The Poisoning of St. George in the presence of the Emperor. The next scene, although very damaged, but in comparison with the one from Staro Nagorichane, actually depicts The Torture of St. George by nailing his feet. The last scene on the south wall is St. George beaten with ox sinews. On the west wall are depicted The Resurrection of the Dead and The Scraping of St. George. On the north wall, the scenes are damaged almost to the level of the inscriptions. However, some of them can be identified by certain preserved elements, especially compared to the scenes in Staro Nagorichane. Perhaps the following scenes were depicted: The Resurrection of the Ox, Destruction of the Idols, St. George slaying the dragon, Diocletian condemns to death St. George and Alexandra, the Beheading of St. George, The Burial of St. George and The Death of Other Christians with St. George.
The selection and the iconography of the scenes in Mlado Nagorichane are to a large extent influenced by the hagiographic cycle in King Milutin's church. However, they are not just a simple copy or imitation, while the inspiration for different schemes can be found in The Painter's Manual of Dionysius of Fourna and in some of the given examples, but they are also due to the capability and the creativity of the painters.

Νέα υποστηρίγματα αποσπασμένων τοιχογραφιών με τη χρήση  σύνθετων υλικών με τρισδιάστατα υαλοϋφάσματα

Γιώργος Κορκόβελος, Συντηρητής Αρχαιοτήτων και Έργων Τέχνης, Β.Χ.Μ.
Μαρία Χατζηδάκη, καθηγήτρια Εφαρμογών, Τμήμα Σ.Α.Ε.Τ., Τ.Ε.Ι. Αθήνας

Η απόσπαση των τοιχογραφιών είναι μια ακραία και αναντίστρεπτη διαδικασία που μεταβάλλει δραματικά την αισθητική και υλική τους αξία.  Η επιλογή του κατάλληλου νέου υποστηρίγματος είναι μείζονος σημασίας για τη διατήρηση και παρουσίασή τους. 
Τα βασικά κριτήρια για την επιλογή του νέου υποστηρίγματος είναι
• Ακαμψία και αντοχή
• Αναστρεψιμότητα μεθόδου
• Βάρος κατασκευής
• Προσαρμογή στις διαστάσεις και το σχήμα του έργου.
• Σταθερότητα διαστάσεων και σχήματος
• Πάχος κατασκευής
• Αντοχή σε διαλύτες
• Αντοχή σε ατμοσφαιρικούς ρύπους
• Αντοχή σε βιολογικές προσβολές
• Βαθμός δυσκολίας κατασκευής
• Κόστος
Παραδοσιακά έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί διάφορα υλικά για την κατασκευή υποστηριγμάτων, όπως ύφασμα σε ξύλινο πλαίσιο, γύψος, κονιάματα διαφόρων ειδών και τα τελευταία χρόνια, σύνθετα ινοπλισμένα υλικά με τη χρήση κατάλληλου παρεμβαλλόμενου στρώματος, ώστε να καθίσταται η κατασκευή αναστρέψιμη.
Με αφορμή την επανέκθεση των τοιχογραφιών του Β.Χ.Μ. προέκυψε η ανάγκη για την ανασύνθεση ενός συνόλου τοιχογραφιών μεγάλου μεγέθους που αποτελείται από τμήματα ακανόνιστου σχήματος.
Για την επίτευξη αυτού του στόχου έγινε έρευνα μεθόδων και υλικών και σχεδιάστηκε ένα νέο υποστήριγμα από τριασδιάστατο υαλούφασμα σε μήτρα εποξικής ρητίνης, με παρεμβαλλόμενο στρώμα από αφρώδες συνθετικό πολυμερές.
Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν μια ελαφριά και άκαμπτη κατασκευή υψηλής αντοχής που παρείχε τη δυνατότητα δημιουργίας μη ορθογωνισμένων τμημάτων, ώστε να επιτρέπεται η ανασύνθεση του συνόλου.
Αυτού του είδους τα υποστηρίγματα έχουν πλέον ευρεία εφαρμογή τόσο σε περιπτώσεις τοιχογραφιών μεγάλου μεγέθους όσο και σε καμπύλες κατασκευές λόγω της δυνατότητας προσαρμογής τους και του χαμηλού τους κόστους.
Η μέθοδος αυτή εφαρμόζεται τα τελευταία χρόνια και στο Εργαστήριο Συντήρησης Τοιχογραφίας του ΤΕΙ Αθήνας και διερευνάται μέσω πτυχιακών εργασιών και πιλοτικών εφαρμογών.

New support systems for detached wallpaintings using
3D fibre reinforced polymer composites.

Korkovelos, Giorgos, Conservator, Byzantine and Christian Museum, gkorkovelos@yahoo.gr
Chatzidakis, Maria, Lecturer, Department of Conservation of Antiquities & Works of Art, T.E.I. of Athens, mchatz@teiath.gr

The detachment and transferring of wallpaintings is an extreme and irreversible operation that can change dramatically their aesthetic and material characteristics and values.
The selection of an appropriate new support is critical, both for the conservation and for the presentation of the wallpainting.
Basic selection criteria of the new support are the following:
• Stiffness and strength
• Reversibility of the method
• Weight of the construction
• Adaptability of the system to the dimensions and shape of the artwork
• Stability of the dimensions and shape
• Thickness of the construction
• Resistance to solvents
• Resistance to pollutants
• Resistance to biological factors
• Degree of construction difficulty
• Cost
Traditionally, various materials have been used for the construction of the supports, such as textile on a wooden frame, plaster of Paris, various mortars and recently fiber reinforced composite materials.
At the Byzantine museum, in the occasion of the installation of the permanent exhibition, an oversized fragmented wallpainting, comprising various pieces with several shapes and sizes, was reconstructed.
In order to achieve this work, we implemented several tests on materials and methods so as to design and produce a new support made on 3D fibre reinforced polymer composites with a polymer foam intermediate layer.
The created new support is a light and non flexible construction of high resistance that gives the possibility to create non square shape parts, so as to facilitate the recombination of the entire painting surface.
Nowadays, 3D fibre reinforced polymer supports are widely used for large scale wallpaintings, as well as on constructions with curves, because of their adaptation capacity and low cost.
This improved method has been applied for several years at the Conservation of Wallpaintings Laboratory of the Department of Antiquities and Work of Arts of T.E.I. of Athens and its stability is tested throughout academic research and pilot applications.

Our current knowledge on early Christian wall painting is mainly gained through studying catacombs and vaulted tombs, where the largest painted decorative arrangements have been discovered. Contrary to this, in early Christian churches and baptisteries it is the mosaic decoration that has survived better in general, while traces of any painted decoration are scarce. In this context, the Old Episcopal basilica and baptistery in Stobi are of immense significance, since they own what is possibly the largest ensemble of paintings dating from the early Christian era. Notwithstanding, the basilica paintings have not been the subject of proper research and only short summaries focusing on some specific aspects have been published in the scientific literature. To address this issue, we considered as necessary to carry out an extensive research, by way of analyzing the technical-technological characteristics of the pain-tings and performing comparative analyses of the materials used. The results of this research will be able to serve as dating indicators of the building and painting phases of the church, which will contribute to-ward chronological determination of all elements of the basilica. In addition, this study will serve as a basis for further research on early Christian paintings and its aspects of iconography, style and symbolism.

L'identificazione dei leganti nei dipinti ha presentato fin dall'inizio seri problemi analitici rispetto a quella dei pigmenti, a causa sia della difficoltà di separazione dei diversi materiali sia delle alterazioni cui vanno incontro per invecchiamento naturale e a seguito dei trattamenti conservativi1. Con l'affinamento delle tecniche analitiche si è riusciti a colmare in parte questa carenza di informazioni2. Da un punto di vista pratico l'identificazione dei leganti può aiutare a capire le ragioni per cui certe opere siano meglio conservate di altre e soprattutto può indirizzare il restauratore nella scelta dei solventi più appropriati per la rimozione di vernici e ridipinture. A seconda del legante utilizzato si può parlare di tecniche a tempera, a olio oppure miste. E noto che prima del xv secolo i materiali più frequente mente utilizzati come leganti sono stati la colla animale soprattutto nelle preparazioni e la tempera ad uovo per le stesure pittoriche. Dopo il xv secolo i leganti tradizional mente usati furono sostituiti dagli oli siccativi, iniziando tuttavia attraverso tecniche miste di oli emulsionati con uovo, colla, caseina, latte ecc. (tempere grasse) fino a giungere progressivamente agli oli da soli. Il presente lavoro prende in considerazione sette opere: in tal modo di studiare un'eventuale evolu zione o modifica nell'uso del legante pittorico da parte del Vecellio. Sono stati presi in considerazione dipinti che abbracciano tutta l'attività artistica di Tiziano per ché, analizzando alcuni suoi dipinti, era sorto il dubbio che ad un certo punto della sua attività il pittore potesse aver cambiato tecnica per far fronte alle numerose commesse che riceveva. L'abbondante uso di colore e di strati poteva costituire una limitazione nell'uso dell'olio richiedendo, per quanto ci è noto, tempi di esecuzione lunghi. Si è deciso per questo motivo di allargare la ricerca anche al periodo di attività più tardo. La campionatura resta comunque sempre irrisoria di fronte all'eccezionale produzione dell'artista, tuttavia rappresenta già un buon inizio. Le informazioni relative ai leganti usati da Tiziano nei suoi dipinti sono piuttosto scarse.

La realizzazione dei pannelli di supporto per i frammenti di affresco delle volte crollate di Assisi richiedeva un’accurata controformatura che non poteva essere fatta fisicamente sulle volte stesse, perché non si disponeva di un ponteggio.  La soluzione adottata è stata quella di utilizzare un rilievo per punti, su cui l’architetto Stefano D’Amico ha ricostruito le volte in Autocad.  Il disegno è stato rielaborato in modo da evidenziare le linee necessarie per la costruzione delle controforme su cui si sarebbero realizzati i pannelli, in settori di dimensioni maneggevoli e compatibili con le operazioni di montaggio dei frammenti. 
I pannelli a sandwich in carbonio/nido d’ape d’alluminio sono stati laminati sottovuoto con resina epossidica, per ottenere strutture leggere, equilibrate e fedeli allo stampo. I pannelli così realizzati sono molto rigidi, per cui la loro forma doveva corrispondere precisamente a quella delle volte e doveva collimare con il perimetro dell’area da riempire. Per questo motivo la verifica dell’errore di progettazione e realizzazione è stato un processo impegnativo e gravato della responsabilità del buon esito dell’intera operazione di rimontaggio. Il rilievo aveva una precisione di circa 0,5 mm (deviazione standard misurata sulla base del confronto con alcuni frammenti rimasti in situ) e sulle controforme costruite si sono misurati scarti puntuali rispetto al disegno Autocad mai superiori a 5 mm.

St Alexander Nevsky cathedral-monument in Sofia recently celebrated its centennial anniversary. The construction and decoration were completed in 1913, but its consecration was postponed for a decade till 1924 because of political and historical turnovers. This is the largest religious building in Bulgaria and its mural decoration required involvement of a big team of artists. Some of the most renowned masters of murals from Russia, experienced in the decoration of orthodox churches, were invited for this very large scale project. Several Bulgarian artists, all of them with academic education, also joined the team. Alexander Pomerantsev, the architect who constructed the building of the cathedral, had a clear vision on the style of the decoration and the iconography of the images and scenes. He intentionally chose a contemporary and fashionable for the period manner of painting, the so-called “Russian Ecclesiastical Modem”. St Alexander Nevsky’s wall paintings had significant impact on the work of Bulgarian artists in the coming couple of decades and their reflections can be witnessed in numerous churches' decoration in Bulgaria especially from 1920s to 1940s. New technical features were introduced in the cathedral’s decoration along with the very specific iconography. The article explores some of the technological features of the wall paintings. Data from archival documents is presented, providing information on the plastering work, preparation for the painting process, recipes for the preparation of the paint and variations in execution of the murals. Additional physicochemical analyses were conducted as a pilot study before more extended investigation. There are different changes in the wall paintings during their hundred-years history. Some of them are induced by natural and man-made disasters like earthquakes, bombardments during the World War 2 etc., causing noticeable damages. Other destructions were inflicted by the technological features of the paintings. Several conservation-restoration projects were carried out during the years. However, all of them were fragmented, with insufficient research and with no preventive measures planned so far. New conservation project with a holistic approach is urgent to save the wall paintings of the church.

Sono presentati i risultati di uno studio multidisciplinare finalizzato alla conoscenza e alla valorizzazione di una eccezionale tomba a camera dipinta, di età ellenistica, rinvenuta nel centro messapico di Egnazia. Di questo importante e inaccessibile monumento sono stati eseguiti il rilievo geometrico e architettonico, la ricostruzione tridimensionale e le analisi di laboratorio per il riconoscimento dei pigmenti e del degrado delle superfici. La ricerca è stata realizzata al fine di documentare lo stato di conservazione e di offrire, con l'ausilio delle tecniche della Virtual Archaeology,  l'aspetto originario del monumento.

Dentro del actual proceso de restauración de la colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, en Calatayud, iniciada con la actualización y revisión del Plan Director en 2011, se inscribe la reciente actuación del Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España, que ha atendido a la recuperación del ábside y del cuerpo de sacristía. Elementos con una compleja historia constructiva, han sido objeto de trabajos de muy diversa naturaleza en respuesta a las patologías, también diversas, y en especial, de tipo estructural, que presentaban. Las obras y su paralelo estudio histórico y arqueológico han permitido un mejor conocimiento de la historia del edificio y facilitado la interpretación de algunos de los problemas de conservación diagnosticados.

The current restoration process of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary Major, in Calatayud, which was initiated with the updated and revised Master Plan in 2011, includes the recent intervention of the Cultural Heritage Institute of Spain in the recovery of the apse and the vestry. The elements have a complex structural history and the work carried out on them has been diverse in nature in response to their varied pathologies and, in particular, structural types. The works, and their parallel historical and archaeological study, have provided a better understanding of the history of the building and enabled the interpretation of some of the conservation problems identified.
Keywords: structural consolidation, apse, vestry, Calatayud, structural history.

The conservation-restoration process of the wall
paintings dated between the 9-13th centuries, in the
Cappadocia region started in the 1960s and
continues today. Within the scope of this thesis,
seven of the few wall painting conservationrestoration works carried out in the region were
examined and evaluated. These projects are;
conservation works of the Eskı Gumus/Gümüşler
Monastery wall paintings realized between 1962-
1965, conservation project of the wall paintings of
the Tokalı Church realized between 1972-80 and
2011(ongoing), conservation project of the wall
paintings of the Dark Church realized between 1980-
90, conservation project of the wall paintings of the
Elmalı Church realized between 1997-2003,
conservation project of the wall paintings of the Old
Andaval-Konstantin and Helena Church realized
between 2007- 2011, conservation project of the
wall paintings of the Forty Martyr’s Church realized
between 2007 and 2013, and the conservation
project of the Üzümlü Church wall paintings
realized between 2014-2016.
Different methods have been carried out in the
practices of the projects of the preservation and
restoration of wall paintings in the Cappadocia
region, but no evaluation has been made regarding
to their positive or negative results. For this reason,
with the purpose of the research, through the
examining 7 selected projects, to identify the
differences observed the conservation-restoration
implementation and conservation approaches that
changed over time

Ctitorie a familiei cneziale româneşti a Cândeştilor din Râu de Mori, biserica-sală cu turn masiv peste altarul rectangular decroşat din Suseni-Colţ (jud. Hunedoara) a fost ridicată după mijlocul sec. al XIV-lea şi decorată cu fresce bizantine de filiaţie paleologă către sfârşitul aceluiaşi veac. Deservind de la bun început o comunitate monastică, lăcaşul de cult medieval a fost abandonat către sfârşitul sec. al XVI-lea, după trecerea la calvinism şi maghiarizarea familiei nobiliare (devenită astfel Kendeffy) care a patronat-o. Nemaifiind utilizată, biserica era deja ruinată la mijlocul sec. al XIX-lea, această stare de decădere continuând pe tot parcursul veacului al XX-lea, în pofida caracterului arhitectural insolit al monumentului şi a valorii remarcabile a decoraţiei sale murale.
Reluarea în 1995 a vieţii monahale în jurul bisericii din Colţ a avut drept consecinţă reconstruirea bisericii în anii 1996-1998 de către arh. Şerban Gubovici şi ing. Liviu Hanţiu într-o manieră care încalcă flagrant normele actuale de restaurare a monumentelor istorice. Agravarea acestei situaţii şi aşa greu de conceput s-a produs în anul 2001, când a avut loc repictarea frescelor bizantine de către pictorul Viorel Ţigu.
Prezenta comunicare îşi propune, aşadar, să reconstituie pe cât posibil aspectul medieval al bisericii din Suseni-Colţ, pornind de la o serie de mărturii scrise şi vizuale din a doua jumătate a sec. al XIX-lea şi începutul sec. al XX-lea. Sunt folosite în acest sens descrierile lui Ştefan Moldovan (1853), Albert Nemes (1865-1867), Ödön Nemes (1870), Constantin Papfalvi (1880), Gábor Téglás (1882-1883), Lajos Szádeczky (1887) sau Jacob Radu (1913), ori desenele şi copiile în acuarelă reproducând arhitectura şi decoraţia murală a bisericii, realizate de Albert Nemes (1867), Gábor Szinte (1893) sau István Gróh (1907-1909). Revalorificarea acestor mărturii de epocă puţin cunoscute este astăzi cât se poate de oportună, având în vedere recenta mutilare a monumentului istoric din Suseni-Colţ.

Introduction by Ittai Weinryb, Bard Graduate Center, New York City.
Translation by Max Koss, Leuphana University Lüneburg.

This essay was originally published in Mitteilungen der
K.K. Zentral-Kommission für Erforschung und Erhaltung
der Kunst- und Historischen Denkmale 3, no. 2 (1903): 14–31.

Příspěvek předkládá základní přehled druhotných úprav monumentálního malířského cyklu v ambitu emauzského kláštera v Praze. Změny sleduje na pozadí možných posunů vnímání obrazu (proměnnými) řeholními komunitami, které klášter zpravovaly a zpravují, a také širší veřejnosti, která – ačkoliv neměla a nemá s životem kláštera žádné vazby – si postupem času pčisvojila právo spolu rozhodovat o podobě díla.

První vstupy do matérie malby pocházejí ještě z doby předusitské (tituly), ale razantnější úpravy pocházejí až ze sklonku 16. století. V té době došlo nejprve – a patrně ještě za utraktvistické správy – ke slohové aktualizaci pole II/2 s obrazem Eva trahá jablko ze stromu pozání a Marie snímá Krista z kříže, krátce na to nejspíš následovala malířská aktualizace celého východního křídla ambitu. V tomto případě již ovšem v podobě radikálně nových kompozic, sic při zachování základního tematického rámce. Všem následným malířským úpravám byl již středověký typologický paralelismus patrně cizí, včetně komunity beuronských benediktýnů, kteří areál spravovali od konce 19. století a kteří dříve radikálně zbarokizovaný areál upravovali v duchu dobového historismu. Za jejich správy se pak společenský náhled na proces péče o díla minulosti radikálně proměnil. Kromě do té doby určujícího vlastníka díla, který dílo upravoval a „restauroval“ v intencích svých (kupříkladu devočních) potřeb, si přisoudil právo spolu rozhodovat o podobě díla také stát a s ním též nově konstituovaná odborná obec. Potřeby vlastníka a správce památky na jedné a naopak odborné obce na druhé straně – jak koneckonců vidíme též v současnost – ovšem mohou být nejednou protikladné.

Rámec, ve kterém je umělecké dílo a obecně památka společností vnímáno, formuje v základních hodnotových obrysech obor dějiny umění. Provázanost způsobů přístupů k péči o dílo (tj. též resdtaurování) a způsobů jeho historické klasifikace lze v přápadě emauzského cyklu sledovat citelněji zvláště v období po 2. světové válce, kdy v 50. až 70. letech byly malby nahlíženy v intencích podmíněné  panslavistické interpretace kláštera a s tím spojených mnohdy ahistorických významovách podtónů. Restaurátorská obnova bombardováním poničeného cyklu byla v mnohém také svázána s vírou v objektivní poznání minulosti, která je z dnečních postmodrních pozic minimálně bláhová. Budoucí restaurování cyklu by proto mělo být možná zaměřené nejen na celistvou výtvarnou rehabilitaci celku, což dříve nebylo, ale mělo by probíhat též s vědomím historické a umělecké vrstevnatosti památky a rovněž s imperativem pokory vůči uměleckému dílu a se zodpovědností vůči budoucím vnímatelům.                                             

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The article presents the basic overview of the secondary adjustments to the monumental painting cycle in the cloister of the Emmaus Monastery in Prague. It monitors the background shifts of the perception of painting by the (changing) monastic communities that ran and run the monastery, and also of the wider public which – despite having no relations with the life in the monastery in the past and today – usurped the right to participace in the decision-making about the artwork over time.

The first interferences date from the pre-Hussite times (titles) yet more vigorous adjustments come from the end of the 16th century. At that time, the style of the bay II/2 featuring Eve picking the apple from the Tree of Knowledge and Mary Descends Christ from the Cross was updated as the first step – probably under the Utraquist administration of the monastery – and shortly after the entire east wing of the cloister was similarly updated. In this case, however, the updating resulted in radically new compositions though preserving the basic thematic framework. The medieval typological parallelism appeal to be foreign to all later painting reconstructions including the community of the Beuron Benedictines who ran the compound until the end of the 19th century and who adjusted the previously radical baroque reconstruction in the spirit of period historicism. Under their administration, the social perspective of preserving past works changed radically. In addition to the owner of the work, who until then adjusted and ‘restored’ it according to the intention of his needs (for instance devotional), the state and the newly constituted specialised community adjudged themselves the right to participate in decision-making about the look of the work. The needs of the owner and caretaker of the landmark on the one hand and the specialised community on the other – which is also seen nowadays – may often be the opposite.

The framework, through which the work of art and a monument in general are perceived by the society, forms the basic value outlines of the history of art. The interconnection of the care for the work (including restoration) and ways of its historical classification may be observed more considerably after the Second World War when the paintings were viewed through the Pan-Slavist interpretation of the monastery, often connected with ahistorical overtones, from the 1950s–1970s. The restoration of the cycle damaged by bombing was also related to the belief in objective learning about the past which seems foolish in today’s postmodern positions. Therefore, future restoration of the cycle should probably not only focus on the compact artistic rehabilitation of the whole, which was not the case in previous times, but also should be carried out keeping in mind the historic and artistic layers of the monument and being humble towards the work of art and responsible towards its future spectators.

Anatolia was the cradle of many civilizations for thousands of years and a melting pot of peoples of different ethnic origins and religions. Because of its coveted natural resources and trade routes, Anatolia was coveted by many conquerors from east and west. Prior to the campaigns of Alexander the Great, it had remained for 200 years under Persian Rule. One of the bridges between the eastern and western civilizations was Afyonkarahisar, where the tomb of a Persian nobleman survived until 1969, when it was pillaged. However, its painted friezes have been reassembled, restored, reconstructed, and now with the exhibition "The Return of Colors" the tomb chamber has been recovered. Regarding the appreciation of cultural values, I consider it very important that all information on these wooden friezes is presented in a book accompanying the exhibition. The illegal trade of movable cultural assets and natural goods should be taken seriously and prevented. The effectiveness of efforts against the illicit trade of antiquities depends on the sensitivity for collaboration. The best example for such a cooperation is the exhibition of the tomb chamber of Tumulus Tatarlı, which will hopefully be the beginning of future cultural cooperation with Germany. I would like to thank the Government of Bavaria, to the Federal Republic of Germany, to the scholars from Ludwig-Maximilians University and to the staff of our ministry who were involved in the restoration of this unique monument. I wish them continued success. Anatolien war seit Jahrtausenden die Wiege vieler Zivilisationen und ein Schmelztiegel vieler ethnischer Gemeinschaften und Glaubensrichtungen. Wegen seiner natürlichen Ressourcen und Handelswege von Eroberern von Osten wie Westen begehrt blieb Anatolien bis zum Eroberungszug Alexanders des Großen 200 Jahre unter dem Einfluss des Persischen Reichs. Eine der Kreuzungen zwischen östlichen und westlichen Zivilisationen war Afyonkarahisar, wo das Grab eines persischen Adeligen bis 1969 überdauerte dann, aber geplündert wurde. Seine gemalten Friese wurden wieder zusammengetragen, restauriert, wiederaufgebaut und jetzt mit der Ausstellung "Rückkehr der Farben" zurückgewonnen. Für die Wertschätzung des kulturellen Erbes halte ich es für sehr wichtig, dass die Informationen über diese Holzfriese in einem Buch zur Ausstellung vorgelegt werden. Der illegale Handel mit den beweglichen Kultur-und Naturgütern muss ernst genommen und verhindert werden. Die Effizienz der Bemühungen in diesem Bereich hängt von der Sensibilität für die Zusammenarbeit ab. Das schönste Beispiel einer solchen Kooperation ist die Ausstellung über die Grabkammer vom Tatarlı Tumulus, mit der die kulturelle Zusammenarbeit mit Deutschland hoffentlich ihren Anfang nehmen wird. In dieser Hinsicht danke ich der Regierung Bayerns, der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, den Wissenschaftlern der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität sowie den Mitarbeitern unseres Ministeriums, die bei der Zurückgewinnung dieses einmaligen Monuments beteiligt waren. Ich wünsche allen weiterhin viel Erfolg.

Μετάφρασή μου στο κείμενο με τίτλο «ΤΡΟΠΟΣ. Ο ΧΡΩΣΤΗΡΑΣ ΤΟΤΕ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΡΑ. Ψηλαφώντας τα ίχνη των Θηραϊκών τοιχογραφιών», της Μαρίας Κρίγκα, ζωγράφου, εικαστικού & εκπαιδευτικού (ΑΣΚΤ & Newcastle University MSc).

Δημοσιεύτηκε στο A. Vlachopoulos (ed.), ΧΡΩΣΤΗΡΕΣ / PAINTBRUSHES. Wall - painting and Vase-painting of the Second Millennium BC in Dialogue. Proceedings of the International Conference on Aegean Iconography Held at Akrotiri, Thera, 24-26 Μay 2013, Athens: University of Ioannina / Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports - Archaeological Receipts Fund, 2018, pp. 371-377.

Το κείμενο βασίστηκε στην παρουσίαση της επιστημονικής συνάντησης «ΧΡΩΣΤΗΡΕΣ. Η τοιχογραφία και η αγγειογραφία της 2ης χιλιετίας π.Χ. σε διάλογο» (Ακρωτήρι, Θήρα, 24-26.5.2013). Μπορείτε να δείτε την παρουσίαση, εδώ:
https://youtu.be/GWTUh6UFF5o?t=2515

St Albans contains one of the most extensive sets of medieval wall paintings to survive in any of the great English churches, ranging in date from the early 12th century to the Tudor period. These provide a unique picture of how the decoration of an abbey church would have functioned in the Middle Ages, as a material expression of a deeply Christian culture where the spaces in the church acted as sites for prayer and devotion. This authoritative and accessible study of the full range of paintings, written by art historian Dr M. A. Michael and illustrated with specially commissioned new photography, offers a detailed discussion of the individual images and sets them in their wider artistic context.
https://issuu.com/accpublishinggroup/docs/st_albans_cathedral_wall_paintings_blad

Nagaur's stunning complex of sprawling palaces, pools and ancillary buildings extends over 15 hectares, surrounded by massive fortification walls. From its 18th century golden period its decline continued through the 20th century until the Mehrangarh Museum Trust began its conservation in 1993. Following award-winning architectural interventions, the Trust moved on to its exceptional wall paintings. Gathering a range of international partners, the aim was to demonstrate how integrated architectural and wall painting conservation programmes can re-establish Nagaur Fort as a major regional cultural landmark. Here, conservation approaches are outlined and examined for the 18thcentury Rajput-Mughal wall paintings in the Sheesh Mahal. Knowledge transfer for wall painting conservation is discussed. The benefits of long-term and continuous collaboration on site between wall painting conservators from abroad and conservation professionals in India are emphasised. RÉSUMÉ Le remarquable complexe de Nagaur, qui comprend d'immenses palais, des bassins et des bâtiments annexes, s'étend sur plus de 15 hectares. Il est entouré de fortifications massives. Depuis son âge d'or au XVIII e siècle, son déclin s'est prolongé tout au long du XX e siècle, jusqu'à ce que le Mehrangarh Museum Trust entreprenne sa conservation en 1993. Après des interventions architecturales primées, le Trust s'est intéressé à ses peintures murales exceptionnelles. En collaboration avec plusieurs partenaires internationaux, le but était de montrer que des programmes de conservation intégrés de l'architecture et des

Decorative wall paintings created in the Ottoman era are called kalem işi, and they are generally created using various pigments and binding media on dry rendering, or via lime-paint technique. However, detection of some decorative wall paintings that were applied on wet plaster in Süleyman Pasha Mosque located in Edirne, Turkey, has led to a more detailed analytical examination. Our study aims to research the techniques used on some painting fragments which were found while removing cement renderings during the restoration of the Mosque. The fragments were revealed in 2019 and were taken under protection as these were stylistically different from the existing paintings of the Mosque. The original location of the fragments on the wall could not be located and in situ conservation is not possible, but research continues. Initially, traces of preparatory drawing, which is thought to be the incising technique, were found on the paintings drawn on the rendering fragments. Then, SEM-EDX, FTIR spectroscopy, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and PED-XRF analyses were carried out along with examinations by optical microscopy. Following these results, experimental reconstructions of the paintings were made on test materials and a story about the painting techniques was revealed, indicating that these paintings were drawn on wet rendering (fresco). Therefore, it is considered that there may be different wall painting techniques in Ottoman architecture and that research in this direction should be increased.

Resumen: Durante los recientes estudios previos realizados en el convento franciscano de Lorca, se han aplicado unos protocolos de intervención diseñados para sistematizar los ensayos de idoneidad en tratamientos de limpieza y preconsolidación sobre pintura mural. El análisis documental, la co-rrelación entre las fases constructivas y la caracterización de materiales constitutivos por parte de los laboratorios científicos, han sido reinterpretados y contrastados in situ de forma complementaria, para diagnosticar el estado de conservación y detectar las necesidades reales de la intervención. Los proto-colos garantizan la reproducibilidad durante la intervención y los resultados obtenidos fundamentan las propuestas incluidas en el proyecto integral de conservación de estos importantes ciclos pictóricos. Palabras clave: conservación de pintura mural, Virgen de las Huertas, estudios previos, marco meto-dológico, ensayos de idoneidad, protocolos de intervención. Abstract: During the recent previous studies carried out in the Franciscan Convent of Lorca, intervention protocols have been applied, designed to systematize the suitability tests in cleaning and pre-consolidation treatments on mural paintings. The documentary analysis, the correlation between the construction phases, and the characterization of constituent materials by the scientific laboratories, have been reinterpreted and contrasted in situ in a complementary way, to diagnose the state of conservation and to detect the actual needs of the intervention. The protocols guarantee reproducibility during the intervention and the results obtained form the proposals included in the conservation project of these important pictorial cycles.

Quali sono le sfide che dovranno affrontare in futuro i professionisti che si occupano di conservazione e restauro di pitture murali e quale ruolo possono svolgere le scuole di alta formazione nel preparare culturalmente e tecnicamente gli studenti ad affrontare l'evoluzione della loro professione? I dipinti murali sono un patrimonio esteso, eterogeneo, fortemente legato al supporto e al luogo al quale appartengono, goduti e gestiti da una vasta categoria di persone che non sono necessariamente professionisti della conservazione, come capita invece nel caso di oggetti museali. Al giorno d'oggi gli interventi di vasta portata non sono sempre possibili, né sostenibili economicamente e si è visto che possono persino essere dannosi per la conservazione a lungo termine delle opere. Temi quali la sostenibilità, la capacità di calibrare l'intervento alle strette necessità della tutela, la capacità di promuovere il dialogo diventano sempre più importanti nell'indirizzare la prassi operativa.

Kitap, Myra kentinde Orta Çağ’a tarihlendirilen bir Doğu Roma yapısı olan Alakent Kilisesi’nin,
kültür varlığı olarak keşfedilmesinden, itibaren gerçekleştirilen birçok bilimsel çalışma neticesinde
kültürel mirasa yeni bir eser kazandırılmasını hikaye eder. Alakent Kilisesi’nde gerçekleştirilen
arkeolojik çalışmalar başta olmak üzere, sanat tarihi, mimarisi, sanatsal özellikler ve korumaonarım çalışmaları gibi birçok disiplinin çalışma sonuçlarını ve değerlendirmelerini ortaya
koymaktadır.

Negli anni Settanta, fu notata la presenza di efflorescenze saline in alcune parti dei dipinti murali della 'Camera degli Sposi" del palazzo Ducale di Mantova, opera del Mantegna. Bisognava però stabilire la causa di queste efflorescenze. Era anche necessario valutare le condizioni della Camera sia in relazione ai cicli stagionali sia all'afflusso dei visitatori. Vengono qui illustrate tutte le metodiche di studio relative alle analisi eseguite nella "Camera degli Sposi", gli esami dei risultati nonché le conclusioni di questi accurati rilevamenti.
Allo scopo di documentare lo stato di conservazione venne eseguita, intorno al 1975, una campagna di rilevamento da parte del Gabinetto fotografico nazionale."' Nel corso dei vari sopralluoghi eseguiti in quel periodo venne constatata la presenza di efflorescenze saline localizzate in al cune parti. Per quanto riguarda la pellicola pittorica, essa presentava dei sollevamenti di piccoli frammenti dovuti alla diminuita adesione della pellicola al supporto. Verso la fine degli anni Settanta la situazione conservativa se brava essersi stabilizzata ai livelli dei precedenti sopralluoghi. Per tanto, sebbene fosse sicuramente indispensabile un intervento di fissatura, consolidamento e pulitura della superficie, venne considerato utile eseguire una serie di indagini preliminari tendenti ad accertare l'origine delle efflorescenze saline.

Art historical research needs to consider the materiality of artefacts, but the character of the material and the state of preservation of any object change over time. Today’s restoration and conservation sciences provide the basis for present research in the field of history of art and architecture. Following this premises and with some examples from current research projects our contribution tries to show how much the contemporary academic Art History can benefit from the material and technical knowledge of conservators.

Cada intervención de conservación-restauración se convierte en oportunidad para reconstruir el procedimiento creativo y pictórico empleado en la ejecución mural. Repasamos la secuencia de estos procesos en los grandes fresquistas españoles, desde los bocetos iniciales y los sistemas de traslado al muro, hasta los recursos pictóricos empleados por algunos cuadraturistas.