Műtárgyvédelem, 2012-2013 (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum)
Zsivkovits Mihály Istenszülő ikonjának restaurálása
Varga Tímea • Zsivkovits Mihály Istenszülő ikonjának restaurálása IRODALOM /Jhhko /IaBHaoB(1978): CpncKa rpacj)HKa XVIII BeKa, Hobh Ca/t 1978. Dinko Davidov (1978): Srpska grafika XVIII véka, Növi Sad. Koctu ByKOBiih (1997): MHxan.no TKhbkobhIi (1776-1824), Hobh Caa. Kosta Vukovic(1997): Mihailo Zivkovic (1776-1824), Növi Sad. The restoration of a Mother of God icon painted by Mihály Zsivkovits Timea Varga From a number of perspectives, this Mother of God icon restored at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts within the context of a project undertaken by a final-year student proved to be an interesting task, and a challenge also. Because the pine panel was very warped, the grounding and paint layers had blistered and peeled in many places. On account of the poor adhesion of these layers to the support, significant gaps had developed on the painting, owing to which aesthetic repairs, too, were needed. The goals were the sticking back of the detached layers, the lessening of the wooden panel’s degree of warping, and the retouching of the picture in order to make it more enjoyable. Before the starting of the work, historical and iconographical research was performed, as well as an assessment of the artefact’s condition. In connection with the origins and history of the iconostasis at Balassagyarmat, numerous details were gleaned from Koszta Vukovits’s study of work by Mihály Zsivkovits. Depicting Mary mourning her son, the painting was in all likelihood made on the basis of a contemporary print. Classicist features are observable in its style. The iconostasis today is no longer in its original place, since the Serbian church at Balassagyarmat was knocked down in the early 20th century. Surviving parts from it can be found in the Serbian Ecclesiastical Museum in Szentendre and in the Blagovestenska church in the same town. In the course of the analysis of photographs, deficiencies in the varnish layer became clear, and so did its loss of function. Moreover, careful underdrawing also came to light. During microscopic examinations and microchemical tests, baryte mixed with lead white was identified in the white paint layers. This was very rare on wooden panel paintings in the early 19th century. A common characteristic of the many samples taken was that in cross section they revealed a structure consisting of a number of paint layers, which indicates that the painter strove for three-dimensionality when fashioning the picture. After the re-attachment of the peeling layers, it was decided that the painting should be revealed completely. In order to lessen the warp in the wooden panel, 141
