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15th c. frescoes rescued from lichen invasion
A pair of 15th century frescoes in the church of San Martino in the Ligurian hamlet of Rocchetta Cairo have been restored. The frescoes, which depict the Madonna Enthroned and the Egyptian 4th century ascetic Saint Anthony the Abbot, were made by two different artists in the first half of the 15th century on a side wall of the church.
The little church is basically a one-room was built around 1400 for the small country community. Today it is in dilapidated condition, more of a religious symbol for the people who live in the area rather than a parish church. It is used once a year in September when the community gathers for Mass and a luncheon.
Exposed to the elements, the frescoes were in dire straits, damaged by a green coating of lichens that cascading down the surface due to water penetration. The biological film obscures the frescoes’ legibility and the original vivid color.
The restoration, carried out under the direct administration of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Imperia and Savona and supervised by the Conservation-Restorer Martina Avogadro, included disinfection, consolidation of depth and surface, cleaning, filling and chromatic reintegration. […]
Finally, further stratigraphic tests and cleaning tests were carried out on all the walls of the church, with the aim of finding other paintings hidden under the plaster, but without any positive results.
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