Icon Conservation

The religious icons are made of the following materials: wooden construct, glue, cloth, foundation, paint surface and varnish. The factors of decay for these materials are atmospheric deposits, variances in humidity and temperature, light exposure and poor handling from personnel.
The appropriate conservation techniques are selected based on the materials and constructing methods of the icon.

The conservation stages are: photographic/drawing documentation of the icon’s condition, surface cleaning, securing paint layers, securing the wooden carrier and disinfestation, mechanical and chemical cleaning to remove oil deposits, removing old varnish, aesthetic conservation and applying new varnish. Finally, after the conservation works, the “Evidentiary Log” is completed and the photographic documentation is updated.

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