Kisné Cseh Julianna (szerk.): Annales Tataienses III. Régészeti adatok Tata történetéhez 1. (A Tatán 1999-ben megtartott tudományos ülésszakon elhangzott előadások anyaga). Mecénás Közalapítvány, Tata, 2003.
Ifj. Bóna István: A tatai római freskós szoba mennyezetének restaurálása
Restoration of the ceiling of the Roman room with frescos in Tata István Bona jnr. The Roman room from the 2 nd century unearthed in Brigetio and exhibited in the Tata castle is probably the largest reconstructed fresco complex outside Rome. It is also among the most significant units from artistic and cultural historical aspects. Endre Bíró step by step unravelled the system of ornaments and depictions by long and meticulous work so that by now nearly each feature of the exhibited reconstruction can be proved. When it was decided at the beginning of the 60's that the entire reconstruction would be built, the method of the realisation was determined according to very modern theories. The basic theory of reconstruction was reversibility. Only such methods were allowed that afforded the lifting of the fragments without injuries, the modification of the entire structure and the integration of possible new finds. The director of the operations strictly prohibited the thinning of the plasters, which was quasi compulsory at that time. The fragments, namely, can not always be refitted by the painted surface. Another reason in favour of this method was that fresco fragments to be recovered later could also be integrated. The concept of the aesthetic presentation of the rooms was a revolutionary idea, which has proved adequate, although the fundamental principles laid down thirty years ago have often been regarded too rigorous. Most of the criticisms argue that the mythological scenes were not completed at all, reconstruction drawings and paintings aid instead a better understanding. From the colours of the walls only the lighter tones of the background were applied, the details were entirely omitted so that the visitors have to reconstruct them with their imagination. Regarding the ceiling, this rigorous theory had to be disregarded. It would have been impossible to understand the so-called tapestry patterns and the round picture fields in it without some reconstruction. The reconstruction took about thirty years with shorter and longer interruptions. It would have probably taken at least a decade even without these interruptions. The reconstruction of the Roman room is exhibited in a medieval room of the castle where the walls and the ceiling are temporary constructions built in front of the original ones. ASSEMBLAGE METHOD APPLIED ON THE LATERAL WALLS (The work was carried out and directed by Míklós Móré, head restorer of the Museum of Fine Arts) Embedding into synthetic foam was the most developed method of the 60's. Restorers chose this method. The walls of the room were built of thick polystyrene panels with an appropriate metal and wood reinforcement. The glue used for the application of the fresco fragments on the walls was the mixture of water-glass and perlit in a proportion that secured the sticking of the fragments but can be totally deg, ied from the Roman plaster. 162
