Materials and Techniques of Selected Mural Paintings on the “Gothic Road” around 1400 (Slovakia)

Anabelle Kriznar,Jana Želinská

doi:10.3390/heritage4040226

Anabelle Kriznar, Jana Želinská

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4040226

Copy DOI

Abstract

Mural cycles in the churches of Plešivec, Čhyžné, and Štitnik from around 1400 were studied from the material and technical point of view. Stylistically, they show a mixture of Northern and Southern European stylistic currents, which were characteristic for the time around 1400 in East Central Europe. After a precise study in situ, an analysis of extracted samples was conducted by OM, SEM-EDX, and XRD. The plasters used for these murals were all made of lime and sand with different impurities; importantly, they different among each other in terms of their quality and stability. The pigments that were used in these murals were natural and organic: lime white, yellow and red earths, malachite, and azurite were identified, and some pigment degradations were also pointed out. The principal technique is a fresco, but all murals were finished a secco in different proportions, using an organic binder. Painting procedures and modelling were also studied, revealing a strong difference among all three cycles. The painting technique does not always correspond to the style.

Highlights

Conserved artworks reveal a mixture of influences from the North—Bohemian, Hungarian, and Austrian art, as well as from the South, especially Italian Trecento, both of which are incorporated into the local style
The results and the discussion are organized according to mural cycles corresponding to each church and always follow the same four sections for a better comparison among them, which explains the composition of plaster, preliminary painting procedures, the materials and techniques used, and the colour modelling
On the Crucifixion, it can be clearly observed that giornatas was applied from right to left and followed the form of a figure or a group of figures (Figure 1b)

Summary

Introduction

Around 1400, the geographical area of East Central Europe (Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia) was an important crossroad between political, economic, social as well as cultural and artistic currents from Northern and Southern Europe. This situation can be clearly observed through the complex style of contemporary artworks as well as in their technical execution and in the use of materials and painting procedures. The present research is centred on mural paintings in Slovakia, which provide a very good example of what was happening around 1400 It is a part of a wider project that is still going on that investigates the entire area mentioned above. Conserved artworks reveal a mixture of influences from the North—Bohemian, Hungarian, and Austrian art, as well as from the South, especially Italian Trecento, both of which are incorporated into the local style

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion