CCI Newsletter, No. 27, June 2001

Icons of the Basilian Fathers Restored

by Carol MacIvor, Senior Communications Advisor, Information Services and Marketing

Among the wide range of objects that CCI has treated over the years are six religious icons of rare beauty that belong to the Order of St. Basil the Great (commonly called the Basilian Fathers).

CCI's first contact with the Basilian Fathers Museum came in 1986 when the Mobile Laboratory visited the museum to assess the condition of some of its icons. Most of these religious paintings on wood had been acquired by a Basilian priest, Father Josaphat Jean, a scholar and collector of Ukrainian ecclesiastical art. By 1986 the icons were suffering various amounts of damage.

The building of a new museum in 1990 resulted in another visit by CCI a couple of years later. At this time six valuable icons were selected for treatment by Senior Conservator Peter Vogel. The oldest of these icons dated to the mid-16th century.

Peter says the approach to treating icons "is completely different than paintings on wood because of their religious and historical significance." Some of the damage may be "historically relevant and part of their importance."

Take for example the icon of Saint John the Evangelist, an 18th-century panel of tempera on wood. There are bullet holes across the icon, some Cyrillic lettering on both sides of the Saint's head, and damage around the edges. There is also evidence that, at some point, efforts were made to remove the lettering by covering it over with some kind of plate. Peter points out that it is also common for icons to sustain damage from being handled repeatedly, moved from place to place, and exposed to the smoke of burning candles and incense.

The treatment plan for this icon was worked out in consultation with Dagmar Rais (curator of the museum) and the Basilian Fathers. It was decided that the bullet and pellet holes and the Cyrillic writing should be left untouched because they form an important part of the icon's history and value, but water damage along the bottom and other stains from handling over the years should be treated.

An inpainting technique known as 'trateggio' was used to restore areas on the figure of the Saint where paint had come off. This technique is less intrusive than some other methods, and consists of a pattern of vertical lines of paint of varying thickness and shade. The retouching, although visible from close range, is not apparent from a normal viewing distance.

Peter states that he feels "privileged" to have been involved in the treatment of the icons (a few of which were treated under his guidance by private conservators on contract). In reference to Saint John the Evangelist, he says "the icon has regained its unity and its artistic and liturgical messages have been preserved." "More importantly," he adds, "the damage and marks left behind, from a turbulent history, remain silent witnesses."