CASE STUDIES

Two groups of Serbian heritage samples have been chosen as case studies to validate the performance of the proposed solutions. They have been selected according to scientific and humanistic criteria.

The 13th-centry Monastery Crna Reka is located in southwestern Serbia, on the rocky cliffs of mountain Mokra Gora, near the border with Montenegro. Its unique architecture renders it one of Serbia’s most beautiful cave-churches. The internal walls in Crna Reka was painted by the artist Longin in the XVI centry by al fresco-painting technique, on a two-layer lime-based mortar. Extensive wall degradation causes visible deterioration of wall paintings. These fresco paintings have been classified as part of the National Treasure category in Serbia, so their preservation can be consider as a matter of national interest.

Samples-fragments of wall paintings from areas with unstable connections will be chosen, where a conservation-restoration intervention for consolidation would otherwise be carried out.

Original wall paintings were painted at the beginning of the 20th century by Russian painter Andrej Bicenko. These wall paintings were severely damaged, so they were removed, and in the year 2000, new paintings were made using the al secco technique on a cement-based mortar covered with leveling compound, using commercial acrylic-based colors. Various factors contributed to the degradation of these new paintings, resulting in them being highly damaged, flaked, and in very poor condition.

Samples will be collected from wall paintings painted on the eastern wall, next to the entrance of the south confessional.

The content of the website is the sole responsibility of its authors and does not reflect the opinion of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia.