The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region
One of the most important castles of the medieval Teutonic Order—Riga Castle in Latvia—is currently undergoing extensive reconstruction work. This study attempts to summarize recent information about the medieval fresco in the chapel and decorative paintings (17th century CE) on the vaults and vault...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Heritage |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/6/3/128 |
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| author | Madara Rasiņa Ojārs Spārītis Jiřina Přikrylová Martin Racek Ivana Kopecká Eva Svobodová Richard Přikryl |
| author_facet | Madara Rasiņa Ojārs Spārītis Jiřina Přikrylová Martin Racek Ivana Kopecká Eva Svobodová Richard Přikryl |
| author_sort | Madara Rasiņa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the most important castles of the medieval Teutonic Order—Riga Castle in Latvia—is currently undergoing extensive reconstruction work. This study attempts to summarize recent information about the medieval fresco in the chapel and decorative paintings (17th century CE) on the vaults and vault consoles of the refectory that were found during this work. The restorers acquired a combined knowledge of the materials during the pre-restoration research as well as during the restoration process. This, together with the art historian’s viewpoint, and analytical study conducted by chemical technologist of art restoration and material scientists, allowed for an understanding of the materials present, as well as for a determination of the most probable techniques used for the creation of the frescoes. Based on the results presented in this study, the investigated fresco was mostly created using local materials for the plaster and imported ones for pigments, specifically azurite, malachite, and cinnabar. The restoration works, and the possible iconographic meaning of the remaining fragments of the medieval painting, are also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:28:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bbc8166f01b2433e938a79513fd61ad4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-9408 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:28:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage |
| spelling | doaj.art-bbc8166f01b2433e938a79513fd61ad42023-11-17T11:22:51ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082023-02-01632435245210.3390/heritage6030128The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic RegionMadara Rasiņa0Ojārs Spārītis1Jiřina Přikrylová2Martin Racek3Ivana Kopecká4Eva Svobodová5Richard Přikryl6Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech RepublicArt Academy of Latvia, O. Kalpaka Boulevard 13, LV-1050 Riga, LatviaAcademy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Petrology and Structural Geology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech RepublicNational Technical Museum, Kostelní 42, 170 78 Prague, Czech RepublicNational Technical Museum, Kostelní 42, 170 78 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech RepublicOne of the most important castles of the medieval Teutonic Order—Riga Castle in Latvia—is currently undergoing extensive reconstruction work. This study attempts to summarize recent information about the medieval fresco in the chapel and decorative paintings (17th century CE) on the vaults and vault consoles of the refectory that were found during this work. The restorers acquired a combined knowledge of the materials during the pre-restoration research as well as during the restoration process. This, together with the art historian’s viewpoint, and analytical study conducted by chemical technologist of art restoration and material scientists, allowed for an understanding of the materials present, as well as for a determination of the most probable techniques used for the creation of the frescoes. Based on the results presented in this study, the investigated fresco was mostly created using local materials for the plaster and imported ones for pigments, specifically azurite, malachite, and cinnabar. The restoration works, and the possible iconographic meaning of the remaining fragments of the medieval painting, are also discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/6/3/128Livonian Order’s castlemedieval frescomicroscopyspectral analysisrestoration/conservation |
| spellingShingle | Madara Rasiņa Ojārs Spārītis Jiřina Přikrylová Martin Racek Ivana Kopecká Eva Svobodová Richard Přikryl The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region Heritage Livonian Order’s castle medieval fresco microscopy spectral analysis restoration/conservation |
| title | The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region |
| title_full | The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region |
| title_fullStr | The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region |
| title_short | The Recent Discovery, Research, and Restoration of Medieval and Renaissance Frescoes in Riga Castle—A Treasure to the Baltic Region |
| title_sort | recent discovery research and restoration of medieval and renaissance frescoes in riga castle a treasure to the baltic region |
| topic | Livonian Order’s castle medieval fresco microscopy spectral analysis restoration/conservation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/6/3/128 |
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