Glass dry plates of Sopoćani: Analysis of the images as the research basis and the preservation of wall paintings
Abstract
This paper deals with the preservation and scientific application of glass dry plates as cultural properties, showing the effectiveness of image comparison as an instructive part of the research basis of heritage studies.
Wall paintings of the Sopoćani Monastery (founded in the second half of the 13th century) are recorded as glass dry plates, which have been deposited at the Institute for the Protection of Historical Monuments of Serbia. The glass plates were taken in 1954 as visual documentation, and the author has assessed the conservation state of the wall paintings by comparing them with glass plates which are under ongoing archiving. The comparative study is carried out by applying images from three different times: photographs recorded in 1926 before the first intervention of modern restoration, glass dry plate images dating 1954, and digital data taken by the author in 2017. By analyzing the differences between the multiple images of long intervals of time, the author clarified that wall paintings at Sopoćani are comprehensively in good condition. Besides image comparisons, the results of a field survey done by the author and field measurements carried out in 2017 for further discussion have been introduced. As a result, no critical damage to the mural structure or serious changes to its appearance were identified. The conservation state of the wall paintings remained satisfactory, mainly because the restoration works carried out between 1926 and 2017 had been modest enough, allowing the wall paintings to retain the stability of the original production.
Article Details
- How to Cite
-
Hidaka, M. (2024). Glass dry plates of Sopoćani: Analysis of the images as the research basis and the preservation of wall paintings. International Symposium on the Conservation of Monuments in the Mediterranean Basin, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.12681/monubasin.8171
- Section
- Part II - Historical and Structural Aspects of Monuments
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
