Church in Dolní Věstonice restores Baroque masterpiece
Conservationists discovered extensive Baroque paintings on the walls and vaults of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Dolní Věstonice. They describe it as a fundamental contribution to the history of early Baroque art in Moravia. Its discovery was shortlisted in this year's competition of the National Heritage Institute Patrimonium Pro Futuro.
The discovery of the early Baroque paintings in Moravia is exceptional not only for its size but also for offering insight into the artistry of the era. Speaking to Czech Radio, restorer Radomír Surma touched on the careful methods used to restore the works back to their former vibrancy:
"By gradually tapping the surface, I release the secondary layers that I need to get rid of. If something can't be tapped with a hammer, the tip of the scalpel has to come in."
The vault of the church is eight meters above the ground, so the restorer works mostly on scaffolding. Part of the scaffolding is mobile so that it can be easily moved.
The Baroque paintings were hidden under several newer layers and were only revealed after thoroughly investigating the location.
Hana Tomková, a building technician at the Brno bishopric, expanded on what contributed to its discovery:
"It was only when the scaffolding was erected that Mr. Surma discovered that the entire ceiling had been painted. We were very happy; we were absolutely thrilled. We are glad that we discovered it."
The project revealed the true scale of the artistic endeavor hidden on the walls, turning an ordinary restoration project into a revelation.
"The surface area of the paintings is about 540 square meters. It's really huge, the paintings are everywhere. You can see some residue of paint everywhere to some extent."
According to the restorer, it is not only the extent of the painting that is unique but also the discovery that the painter used as a model graphic album created in the second half of the 16th century by Ignatius of Loyola's close collaborator, the Spanish Jesuit Hieronymus Nataliis.
Surma explains that this insight came from Zdeňka Míchalová from the Brno branch of the National Heritage Institute:
"She found prints in the Dutch archives that took our breath away because they are the exact model for the painting here. It consists of dozens of scenes that could best be described as a kind of comic book. With those prints, we were able to piece together a complete picture of the entire artwork."
However, restoring such a huge area will still take a long time, Tomková explains:
“If it goes well, we could finish the exposures in two to three years, and then it's a matter of agreeing with the conservation authority and deciding how to proceed. And it will take at least five or six years to finish the painting."
The discovered mural was nominated and shortlisted in the National Heritage Institute's Patrimonium Pro Futuro competition.
"It's a great honour for us. And we hope that Dolní Věstonice will be on the cultural map not only because of the Věstonice Venus but also because of these paintings."
In addition to the restoration of the paintings, the Dolní Věstonice church will also have to have its stained glass windows and facade repaired.
