Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (13.2001(2002))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

NAQLUN 2001: WALL-PAINTING
TRANSFER AND CONSERVATION

Cristobal Calaforra-Rzepka

The objective was to transfer a mural
painting representing the Virgin and Child
in the central niche of the main haikal in
the Church of the Archangel Gabriel at
CONDITION OF
The painting, discovered in 1995 under
layers of undecorated plaster, was in a very
bad condition, having suffered considerable
damages during the various stages of the
church's building history. The original
plaster was cracked in several places and
detached from the painting underneath,
practically hanging only at the edges.
A larger crack had divided it into two
major pieces and several smaller ones. A big
part of the composition was missing (40%),
including fragments of the Virgin's head.
Intentional hammering in preparation for
re-plastering was in evidence. The paint
layer was covered with a thick layer of soot
and grease from candle smoke, incense and
chrism, which are common agents of
deterioration for wall paintings, especially
near the main altar, making lines and colors
illegible. Several scratches were observed,

the monastery of Deir-el Malak Gubrail in
Naqlun, in the Fayum Oasis (Fig. l).l)
Once this was accomplished it was possible
to study the painting underneath.
THE PAINTING
including an Arabic graffito. The green
color was very flaky. Red and black were
powdered. The upper part of the framed
niche was partially washed, as a conse-
quence of water seeping in from the
window (which is no longer the case after
the blocking of the window).
The painting underneath, which was
visible through the gaps, bore testimony to
an earlier decoration not found in other
parts of the church. The colors were clean
and bright and it seemed that a cross had
been represented in the niche before.
Consolidation in situ was unacceptable
from the beginning. Injections of glue
between the two layers would have
certainly caused irreversible damage to the
earlier mural, the consolidating agent
penetrating through all the inner layers
and ruining them in the process. It was

1) In preparing this provisional report, the author has availed himself of the following literature (in chronological order):
E. Parandowska, “Coptic Wall Paintings in Naqlun, Egypt”, Biuletyn Informacyjny Konserwatorow Dziet Sztuki (The
Conservators-Restorers Bulletin, English Version) (1993), 16-19; W. Godlewski, “Deir el Naqlun, Quelques observation
historiques”, Actes du IV Congres Copte, Institut Orientaliste de Louvain, vol. 40 (1992), 178; J. Dobrowolski, “Naqlun-
Deir-el-Malak Gubrail: The existing monastic complex”, Nubica I/II (1990), 163; N. Hewinson, The Fayum. A practical
Guide, (Cairo, 1989), 157-60; S. Baltoyannis, “Conservation and Restoration of the Wall-paintings in the Church of the
Protothoronos, Naxos. Part I, Removal of the painting.” Studies in Conservation 21 (1976), 51-62.

171