Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.17018/portal.2021.6
High altar in the parish church in Vrbnik: historical and artistic context, and conservation of its central part
Damir Tulić
; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Art History
Nevena Krstulović
orcid.org/0000-0002-5632-7761
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Rijeka Department for Conservation, Croatia
Abstract
The polychromed, gilded and carved high altar of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (719 x 775 x 60 cm) is the largest preserved wooden altar on the Kvarner islands. It consists of two chronologically and stylistically different parts that, so far, have not been studied in great detail. The central massive aedicula has a predella and two composite three-quarter pillars that carry a triangular pediment with statues and serve as a frame for a large rectangular painting. The altar is dated around 1600 by older texts, as well as by its stylistic analysis. Unlike many wooden altars, with a complex system of carvings and decorations, that were catalogued in Dalmatia between the end of the 16th century and the second half of the 17th, the Vrbnik altar stands out because of its clean lines and sparse decoration, reduced to elongated side volute wings and an isolated ornament over the altarpiece. The simple and classical tectonics of the aedicula in Vrbnik is ideologically based on the interpretation of ancient models revitalized in the early 16th century and elaborated through the treatises of Sebastian Serli (1475–1554), Andrea Palladio (1508–1580) and Vincenzo Scamozzi (1548–1616), with some inventive details characteristic of Venice in the second half of the 16th century. With its strict tectonics with almost no decoration, the aedicula of Vrbnik is ideologically closest to the simple and ceremonial side altars in Palladio's church of San Giorgio Maggiore, created in the last quarter of the 16th century. The sculptural decoration of the central part of the Vrbnik altar consists only of a gilded and polychromed wooden statue of the Redeemer flanked by two angels on the pediment. There is no doubt that, in accordance with the complex practice of making wooden altars and their equipment at the time, the work on the Vrbnik altar was divided among several specialized craftsmen: a marangon for the carpentry, a turner for turned parts such as pillars and vases, an ornatist for the carved ornaments of frames and volutes, a figuratist for making the statues on the pediment, and, finally, a master indorador who polychromed the altar. In the absence of documents, and given the mediocrity of the figural decoration, it is impossible to talk in detail about a specific maker or altar workshop in Vrbnik. According to the visitation of Stefan David, Bishop of Krk, in 1685, the wooden tabernacle with pillars and doors, with the motif of the Angelic Pietà, once formed a unit with the altar, but it has not been preserved. It can be assumed that it looked similar to the one in the parish church in Nin, dated around 1600.
In the third quarter of the 17th century, large side wings that completely covered the initial wall of the sanctuary were added to the central aedicula. With this ‘Baroque’ alteration, the classical Venetian aedicula, solemn and strict in its golden monochrome, was adorned with imposing wings with ‘unbridled’ cartilage and algae decoration with a multitude of polychromed, silver-plated and gilded sculptures modelled on continental golden winged altars. This happened between 1652, when the re-gilding of the altar, which had no wings at the time, was documented, and 1685, when it was described in its present form by Bishop David. The work was carried out by an as-yet unidentified workshop working on the neighbouring mainland in Vinodol and southern Istria. In 1656, these masters carved parts of the altar from the demolished church of St. Sebastian in Novi Vinodolski, and fragments of the altar in the parish church in Valtura. With their rich decoration and similar composition, the side wings in Vrbnik can be compared to the magnificent high altar in the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Boljunsko Polje, of 1676. The altar in Vrbnik can certainly be considered an impressive and artistically important work that merges the classical tradition of the Mediterranean with the emphasized decoration characteristic of Central Europe.
Conservation of the high altar began in January 2012, when the renovation of the parish church, where the altar was originally located, began under the Division for Immovable Heritage of the Croatian Conservation Institute. The work on the wooden retable and sculptures was divided into phases, due to the complexity of construction and composition, as well as the large dimensions of the altar, whose appearance has been altered through history and various stylistic periods. The work began with disassembly of the altar, and parts of the altar architecture and sculptures were transported to the Rijeka Department for Conservation (Croatian Conservation Institute). By May 2019, complete conservation had been carried out on its central part, which was then returned to the church sanctuary.
Initial conservation and restoration, such as fumigation, consolidation of the severely weakened wooden carrier, and conservation and restoration research, were carried out on the entire altar. Further work, performed only on the central part of the altar, included the following phases: removal of altered varnish and partially-applied overpaint, gluing of the painted layer, carpentry repairs and reconstruction of damage to the base layer, glue-chalk base, painted layers and gilding, and application of protective varnish. Each of the interventions was preceded by empirically testing the materials to find the optimal solution for this work of art. Conservation and restoration research revealed three different layers of overpaint on the altar; the second and third can be characterized as repairs to the painted layer, because they were applied only to certain areas, such as the bases and fronts of pillar pedestals, incarnadine of individual sculptures, and decorative tendrils on the side wings.
Today, the central part of the altar has part of the second layer of gilding from 1652, and the first partially-applied overpaint in the form of red-and-white marbling, red-and-green contouring and blue-and-white marbling on the attic. With this layer, the incarnadines of the attic sculptures have been overpainted. In 2015, during the removal of the second overpaint and varnish, a very valuable inscription written in the Glagolitic script about the second gilding of the altar was discovered on the left pedestal of the pillar.
Due to problems with polychromy, tests were performed, with comparison of results, in gluing the painted layer either with traditional glue or with a solution of animal glue and the synthetic glue Aquazol 200. The latter proved to be a more effective glue for this work of art. Varnish removal was preceded by solubility tests to select the most appropriate method, given surface polarity. The Wolbers-Cremones solubility test was performed, and then the varnish was removed with concentrated acetone. The second overpaint was removed with an ethyl-alcohol-based solvent gel with the addition of 25% ammonium hydroxide. Carpenters then repaired parts of the altar, and segments of the missing carrier were carved on the basis of the original. Minor damage to the wooden carrier was reconstructed with wood putty based on liquid binder and filler. This phase was preceded by 16 tests involving putty. The following solutions were used to prepare the binder: rabbit glue, synthetic resin Aquazol 200 in ethyl alcohol, cellulose ether Klucel G in ethyl alcohol, Plexigum PQ611 in Shellsol T, polyvinyl acetate Mowilith 30 in diacetone alcohol (Mowilith 30 in a mixture of acetone and ethyl alcohol in the second test), and finally the acrylic resin Paraloid B-72 in toluene (Paraloid B-72 in a mixture of acetone and ethyl alcohol in the second one).
Bologna chalk, linden sawdust and phenolic microballoons were used as fillers. Tests based on Mowilith 30 resin gave the best results, and this kit was used for the reconstruction of minor damage to the carrier. This was followed by the reconstruction of the damage to the base and gilding using the classical method by making polymer gilding on a glue-chalk base. Retouch of the damaged gilding was tested to match the new and old gold. The following varnishes were tested: solutions of 5% glue tinted with various pigments, as well as gouache and watercolours, solutions of shellac in ethyl alcohol (in some samples tinted with pigments), solutions of bitumen in mineral solvent, solutions of 5% resin Paraloid B-72 in ethyl alcohol and acetone, and dammar solutions tinted with Restauro-Maimeri resin paints. A total of 20 tests were performed, and those that were based on tinted glue gave the best results. After applying the glue, the surface was retouched with Restauro-Maimeri resin paints. Damage to the polychromed parts was retouched with acrylic paints after applying gouache underpainting. Laropal A81 resin-based topcoat was applied to polychromed parts of the altar. After the work was completed, the central part of the altar was returned to the sanctuary of the church.
Keywords
high altar; Vrbnik; woodcarving; Venice; 16th and 17th centuries; conservation; restoration; Glagolitic alphabet; empirical tests
Hrčak ID:
270791
URI
Publication date:
27.12.2021.
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