NAQLUN

EGYPT

WALL-PAINTING TRANSFER AND
CONSERVATION AT NAQLUN
PART 2

Cristobal Calaforra-Rzepka

The painting from the central niche of the
apse of the church of the Archangel
Gabriel was the object of a conservation
project already in the previous season^
when the two layers were separated and the
outer and later layer bearing a represen-
tation of the Virgin and Child was

detached and transferred to a new artificial
support for independent display. This year
was dedicated to the conservation of the
lower painting representing Christ, which
was treated in situ, and to the final
aesthetic finishing and arrangement of the
two murals.

REPRESENTATION OF CHRIST

Almost a third of the composition is mis-
sing in the upper part.1 2) 3 It was presumably
the background of a composition featured
in the semi-domed top of the niche and
was likely removed during the rebuilding
of the church in the 11th century. Pitting
of the mural, designed to make the next
coating of plaster adhere better, added to
the damage, making parts of the mural
difficult to interpret, especially just under
the horizontal arms of the cross and at the
bottom. The paint layer was powdering,
especially the red and black colors.
Sections of the painting were covered with
soot and bore greasy yellow stains. The
present form of the composition was the
outcome of the bust of Christ being over-
painted on top of an earlier depiction of
a cross.

The wall supporting the painting is
made of mixed material, 80% being red
brick, the rest consisting of mud brick and
limestone, and wooden beams. Dating the
building is still an open issue; it is
probably from the 7th-8th century. The
painting was executed on a single layer of
lime-sand plaster (0.5-3.0 cm thick), finely
tempered with small amounts of ivory and
vegetal black. The surface was smooth and
well prepared. A layer of grayish
whitewash was applied as background,
then the composition with the cross was
painted, and after some time had elapsed
the figure of Christ was added to the upper
arm of the cross, changing the composition
to Gloria VictisA
The painting was executed al secco and
Arabic gum may have been the binding

1) Cf. C. Calaforra-Rzepka, PAM XIII, Reports 2001 (2002), 171-177.
2) For photographic documentation of this mural, see the report mentioned in note 1 above, esp. Fig. 3 on page 176.
3) Cf. W. Godlewski, PAM XIII, op. cit., 169-170.

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