Joint Research for the Conservation of Wall Paintings in Istria, Croatia (Part 3)
Since 2021, The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation has been involved in Joint research on the maintenance, management, and conservation-restoration of mural paintings under the “International Research on Conservation and Restoration Techniques for Cultural Heritage” program.
As part of this initiative, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Culture and Media of Croatia, the Museum of Istrian History and Maritime Heritage, and the University of Zagreb to develop a maintenance management system for wall paintings in churches in the Istrian region, located in the northwest of Croatia. This region is home to numerous mural paintings created from the medieval period to the Renaissance, with over 150 works currently documented. The aim of this research is to investigate and record the state of conservation of these wall paintings, and to share the collected data among experts to help in their maintenance and management.
From November 3 to 7, 2025, we visited sites in the region and conducted a third pilot test using a checklist. In this test, based on the results and issues identified in the previous investigation, we reviewed and refined the checklist items to obtain more accurate assessment results, confirming further improvement in its practicality. The local institutions expressed a deep understanding of and strong interest in this project, along with a strong desire to continue their cooperation in the future. Moving forward, we plan to further develop the collaborative relationships that have been built so far, and, under a more robust research framework, continue our practical efforts toward establishing a sustainable maintenance and management system that will contribute to the conservation and utilization of the wall paintings.