Magyar Műemlékvédelem (Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség Kiadványai 14. Budapest, 2007)

RÁDY FERENC: A keszthelyi ferences templom falfestményeinek restaurálásáról – évtizedek távlatában

RESTORATION OF THE FRESCOS OF THE FRANCISCAN CHURCH IN KESZTHELY BY FRANCES RÁDY The internal overall picture of the church until the end of 1973 was determined by a uniform design established in 1904. The church was reconstructed in neo-Gothic style according to Otto Sztehlo's plans in 1896 but was burnt down in 1904. During the renovation following the catastrophe, the church was provided with furnishings and paintings surviving until the repeated reconstruction.The renovation launching in 1974 aimed to create a new internal decoration replacing the dusty grey paintings and the simplified wall-surface of Gothic Revival. The skilled labour inside the church resulted in serious quantitative and qualitative damages of the original frescos. The fresco restorer group of the Hungarian Advisory Board of Cultural Heritage started a professional conditioning of the discovered fragments in February 24

Ih 1974. Completing their task and after building new scaffolding the Advisory Board was instructed to excavate and reconstruct the frescos. The excavation and cleaning were followed by supplying the lacking details. A consultation on the spot took place in 1976 to prescribe the subsequent tasks while the demands and principles of authenticity - as much as possible - and of puritan reconstruction were declared. The reconstruction painting of the rib and ceiling was swept away for the sake of the expected overall picture, whilst it was evident that painting the repeated patterns of the rib could have been authentically accomplished by keeping a responsive eye on the overall picture of the mellow old painting and on the appropriate distinction between the old and new painting. The original fragments would have been provided with picturesque environment by this reconstruction in the frequently visited church. Experts would not have been misled while outsiders could have been given a favourable and comforting solution by supplying the lacking details with new painting. The rejection of the ceiling reconstruction was followed by the prohibition of the reconstruction of the side walls. The considerable lack of the strips, closed in frames, could have been neutralized by mere colour-integration, as it is justified by the completed solution.This method also took into consideration the protection of the ribs made from soft sandstone and of the wood-columns. The decision of the Planning Council in 1976 asked for the representation of the rough stone surface and ordered the removal of the protective layer and painting basis. The decision was carried out at the end of 1979 and at the beginning of 1980. At this only point a revision was made nearly a year later when the ribs, considered still significant from general architectonic point of view, were ordered to be provided with a protective layer. The fragmental remains were found in a very different condition.The guantitative and qualitative distribution of the remains was different on the northern, eastern and southern wall. The lack is significant in quantitative aspect on the northern wall. Fortunately the remains do not consist of smaller sporadic patches. The lack has even a greater extent on the ceiling, ribs, triumphal arch and string-course. Only the lack of two one-figural pictures can be mentioned on the eastern side, on the part above the string-course. From the three multifigural pictures that can be seen here one has remained in synopia, the other two have been damaged but remained.Two masters and their circle worked on the pictures on the side walls. The division of the parts among them under the entablature can be obviously identified on the basis of the used frame pattern, although the two schools approached closely one the other as regards to especially the unique adornment full of character. The frescos determining the space require a uniform spectacle. The visitors'eye is captured by the unity of the sanctuary altar and glass windows, and the ensemble of the south wall rich in light and plastic art due to the nature of the space and the conception of the restoration.