Kovács Petronella (szerk.): Isis - Erdélyi magyar restaurátor füzetek 11. (Székelyudvarhely, 2011)

M-Kiss András: Egy elázott madágyűjtemény konzerválási problémái

Zsuzsanna Vali

Aspects of Visual Inspection of Medieval Wall Paintings. Visual Inspection of Medieval Mural Paintings from Transylvania

In this article author tries to provide some aspects and to present and emphasize the importance of visual inspection as an important part of the study of wall paintings, through the example of four medieval murals from Transylvanian churches. Visual inspection, documentation, non-destructive and destructive material testing are complementary phases of the study of artefacts. Through these methods, we can size up the circumstances of production, the materials used by the artist, the process of decay and its causes and the possibilities for treatment. All conservation-restoration interventions are irreversible, so the importance of visual inspection and recording of knowledge in writing and picture is great. Following conservation-restoration some information will be compromised or lost, so the state of preservation, the causes of deterioration, the materials and process of work can be studied worthwhile only prior to any intervention. Visual inspection can be done easily, it requires only a few, cheap instruments, but it can affect later on the whole process and course of work, so one should do it very attentive. The investigation of Transylvanian wall paintings is important not only for the study of murals from the territory of the Hungarian Kingdom, but also for the research of the pictorial traditions of medieval Europe, especially as in Transylvania there are wall paintings which are belonging to the Byzantine school, other which have Italian influence, and yet others with German connections. In Transylvania dozens of wall paintings, which were lying under plaster for centuries, just about in their medieval condition, are being revealed now, and give us the chance to study them, without being compromised by later repairs and restorations. The aspects of visual inspection include the studying of the structure and composition of plaster, completed by microscopic analysis of layers and materials; the order of work revealed by the order in which the „pontate”, „vertical joints of plaster” and „giornate” are following each other; the relief of the surface partly influenced by the materials used for building the wall; the finish of the surface, and of the joints of plaster, the marks left by the tools used for spreading and smoothing the mortar, which can hint to the type of tool used; the preservance of the marks left by these tools can show us the state of dryness and carbonation of the plaster during work process; those defects of the plaster, like cracks and fissures, which clearly originate from the work process can indicate the technical blunders made by the artists during work; the lumps in the binding material, like pebbles or ill scorched limestone bits can cause micro-fissures in the wall, or if they are underneath the surface, the peeling of the paint; on the other hand lime clots called „kalkspatzen” are benefice for the wall, the presence

of these lumps in the mortar can give us information about how was the mortar made; we can observe what tools were used to make the underdrawing; from the state of preservation of the paint layers we can deduce in which order the painters proceeded with their work and by consequence, what technique did they use, fresco buono, mixed technique or secco painting; Studying the painting technique of certain paintings and comparing them to the prescriptions written in treatises of the same period we can attest the similarities and differences between real practice and literature. This comparison can also help us to evaluate the craftsmanship of the painters in question, which can be important if one desires to establish stylistically connections and workshop relations; studying the typical formal solutions, we can also make stylistic comparisons and conclusions. By observing the forms and signs of deterioration we can gather information about the history of the building and take proper decisions concerning the conservation and restoring of the wall paintings. Of course, these aspects can and should be developed further by studying, documenting and comparing more and more of the artistical evidence left us by the medieval workshops.

Zsuzsánna Váli

Painting conservator MA

Budapest

Mobile: +36-30-443-5305

E-mail: valizsuzsa@yahoo.com

Miklós Szentkirályi

The Iconostasis of Máriapócs Restored

In 1696, the Mother of God icon in the small wooden church at Máriapócs began shedding tears. Leopold I, Austrian emperor and Hungarian king, ordered the painting to be transported to Vienna, where it was placed on the altar under the Gothic marble canopy in the southern aisle of St. Stephen’s Cathedral on 11 September 1697. The place of the icon at Máriapócs stood empty for years until, at repeated demands by Prince Francis Rákóczi II, and by favour of István Telekessy, Bishop of Eger, an exact copy was made for the Máriapócs church. It is recorded that the painting was weeping again in August 1715. With that, the cult of the place with an object of pilgrimage took its beginning. On the site of the small wooden church, a stone church was built and was consecrated in 1756, complete with the iconostasis. Subsequent to the restoration of the iconostasis in 1896, the second weeping picture was placed above the Royal Doors. The third weeping took place in December 1905. A team of restorers worked on the Máriapócs iconostasis for two years. Aesthetic and ethical issues posed greater challenge for them than professional techniques. More than a determinant liturgical part of a Uniate cathedral, the iconostasis is also a testimony to the history of the

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