Metropolitan church of St.

George in Poros island-Technological Investigation and Documentation of State of Preservation of Wall Paintings-Scheme of Conservation Treatments Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Documents

Metropolitan Church of St. George in Poros Island

The Metropolitan church of St. George is located in Poros, a small island near Athens, in the central square of the town. The church was built in 1861 mainly by residents contributions. It is a three ailed basilica with a higher central aisle and majestic dome of 15m height. The dome was painted in 1907 by Constantinos Parhenis. Constantinos Parthenis was born in 1878 in Alexandria by a Greek citizenship British father and Italian mother. At the age of 16 moved in Vienna where he studied painting and music. In 1903 he returned in Greece and later moved in Poros Island, where he painted several icons and the dome of St. George in 1906-1907. The same year he went to Cairo, where in 1908 he painted the dome of St. George. In 1915 he moved to Greece and in 1917 he settled down in Athens, where with other famous painters founded the group Art to overthrow the conservative academicism. In 1930,Parthenis was appointed professor in School of Fine Arts in Athens, but in 1946 he resigned his professorial chair because he couldnt tolerate the conservatism of the Academy. He died in 1967. The center of the dome has the depiction of the Christ in gold background inside a circle decorated with geometric motives. The Christ holds Gospel in his left hand and blesses with his right. He wears dark blue and red clothes with gold decorative elements. His face is calm and serious. The underlying zone has the depictions of 13 Prophets. They are depicted upright in gold background according to byzantine iconography, and they hold scrolls and objects related to the biblical descriptions of the Mother of God. The four Evangelists are placed inside the spherical triangles. They are painted in gold background, surrounded by clouds with monumental character due to their baroque postures and gestures. Two inscriptions can be seen at the base of the dome. The one inscription refers to the donor (the person who paid for the execution of the paintings), while the second indicates the name of the painter and creation year as well.

Metropolitan church of St. George in Poros island-Technological Investigation and Documentation of State of Preservation of Wall Paintings-Scheme of Conservation Treatments Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Documents

The first approach for the organization and planning of a conservation methodology is the systematic examination and research of the monument. This includes a combination of historical research, technological examination, monitoring and recordingof climatic conditions and study of the decay factors of the wall paintings. The knowledge of construction methods and materials as well as the changes that have taken place in these determine the conservation methodology and interventions. Technological investigation Initially it was necessary to accomplish a technological investigation of the wall paintings. Two samples of plaster were collected and analyzed by x-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscope. The non-destructive analytical method of Raman spectroscopy was used for pigment identification. FTIR was used for the identification of the color binder. Plaster analysis. Only two samples of the upper layer of plaster (fine-grain) were collected. Sampling of coarse grain layer was not possible due to lack of losses and the almost perfect state of preservation of the substrate, which reduced significantly the possible sampling areas. X-ray diffraction showed calcium carbonate as the main component of the plaster with smaller quantities of quartz. SEM analysis with EDX Pigment identification. The non-distractive analytical method of Raman spectroscopy was used for pigment identification. This method applied in the majority of the pigments and the gold background. The most important pigments identified were cinnabar, ultramarine and viridian green. For the gold background it was found that gold leaf had been used. Binder identification. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that linseed oil was used for painting execution. Exposure Conditions and Indoor Climate The climate in Greece is rather temperate and completely different that the climate of Egypt. The winter is cold and the summer is warm if not hot. According to the Greek meteorological department the minimum recorded temperature in the area is -3.2oC in February, while the higher recorded temperature is 41.9oC for July. Rain is very common in central Greece,

Metropolitan church of St. George in Poros island-Technological Investigation and Documentation of State of Preservation of Wall Paintings-Scheme of Conservation Treatments Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Documents

especially from October to March during northwesterly winds. The dome of the church is the most affected by rain, since it presents the most severe decay in the entire monument. In general temperature and relative humidity fluctuations during the year and even during the day are extremely intense. Moreover the church is situated near the sea, which means high levels of relative humidity in the atmosphere. A coastal environment is also rich in ions of sodium and chlorine, which consequently favors formation of sodium chloride salts that are extremely harmful for wall paintings. Measurements of surface relative humidity were carried out on the entire dome in order to understand the movement and the influence of the moisture in wall paintings. Higher levels of relative humidity were observed in western and eastern parts of the dome, as well as on its center. Areas with higher relative humidity levels presented severe detachment of plaster and paint layer accompanied with swelling and pulverization. The indoor climate is strongly depended on the outside temperature and relative humidity. It is very important to investigate how the fluctuations of these parameters affect the indoor conditions on the specific monument and subsequently the wall paintings. Therefore two digital thermo-hygrographs were placed on the upper and the lower part of the dome. These instruments will measure and record the levels of temperature and relative humidity every 30 minutes for 12 months. Previous conservation treatments During the observation and examination of the monument it was found that the wall paintings have been restored in the past, probably during 90s.These interventions included probably plaster and paint layer consolidation, surface cleaning, gap filling and retouching. Unfortunately there is no written information about the methodology that was followed or materials that were used, since this project did not take place under supervision of the Greek Ministry of Culture. Determination of over-paintings and gap fillings was done by using multispectral camera system Mussis 2004 in ultraviolet and infrared spectra. Several over-paintings were found in the entire painted surface. The examination revealed that the entire painted surface had been covered during previous conservation treatments with an acrylic resin, which under ultraviolet light seemed milky.

Metropolitan church of St. George in Poros island-Technological Investigation and Documentation of State of Preservation of Wall Paintings-Scheme of Conservation Treatments Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Documents

State of Preservation The main problems of St George wall paintings is detachment of pigment layer and gold leaf, detachment, embrittlement and swelling of plaster layer mainly on the upper part of the dome, cracks, deposits of soot by the candles and vigil lights, dust and other atmospheric pollutants on the entire surface and salt crystallization beneath the paint layer. The preservation of wall paintings cannot be attained by just one action, since the decay parameters that have to be taken into account are numerous. This project began relatively recently and before any systematic conservation treatments the technological investigation and documentation of state of preservation must be completed. This study includes the followings: General information - Archaeological or historical documentation of the monument, which is based on references Technological investigation. This section contains information about the materials and methods used for the construction of the building and the wall paintings. It contains description of the different plaster layers which form the body of the wall paintings and chemical analyses of plaster and color layer. It is extremely useful to understand the murals nature, their endurance over the years, their behavior to environmental conditions, in order to choose the right conservation treatments and materials. State of preservation decay factors Previous conservation treatments Scheme of conservation treatments First aid conservation treatments Therefore only first aid conservation treatments have been carried out so far which include the followings: Consolidation of the paint layer and the cold leaf as well on areas with detachment or embrittlement.

Metropolitan church of St. George in Poros island-Technological Investigation and Documentation of State of Preservation of Wall Paintings-Scheme of Conservation Treatments Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Documents

Consolidation of the plaster in areas with detachment from the underlying plaster layer or the masonry. Cleaning samples (removing surface deposits of soot by the candles, dust and other atmospheric pollutants). Samples of removing the acrylic resin with which the painted surface has been coated during previous conservation treatments Samples of removing previous over paintings.