Preliminary investigation on joint research for the conservation of wall paintings in Istria
Istria is a peninsula that is largely located in northwestern Croatia, with some parts governed by Slovenia and Italy. Istria has a history of frequent changes in rulers: the Roman Empire in ancient times, the Venetian Republic in the Middle Ages, and the Habsburg Empire in modern times.
In this region, the practice of beautifying churches with wall paintings flourished from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, giving birth to numerous remarkable works. Unfortunately, the need to preserve this heritage was recognized only in the late 19th century in the wake of the activities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s Commission for Research and Conservation of Art and Historical Monuments. Later on, in the 20th century, after several wars and conflicts, the political situation finally calmed down after 1995 and the Croatian government established the Croatian Conservation Institute for cultural heritage. This led to a joint investigation by the Institute and the Archaeological Museum of Istria, and the term “Istrian-style wall painting” was coined as a general term for murals unique to this region.
From March 1-7, 2023, with the assistance of Dr. Sunčica Mustač of the Historic and Naval Museum of Istria and Associate Professor Neva Pološki of the University of Zagreb, we visited about 20 major churches in Istria to conduct field research on the wall paintings. In the process, technical cooperation was sought for the creation of a data archive on production techniques and conservation conditions, as well as for the study of conservation and restoration methods for the future. In the Istria region, there are approximately 150 surviving church wall paintings have been confirmed to exist. With the desire to pass on this irreplaceable cultural heritage to future generations, we will work to establish international collaboration while building networks with experts in related fields.