The frescoes on the walls of the main rock church in the world-famous Sümela Monastery are being meticulously restored to their original form, with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums initiating the restoration of wall paintings in May 2024, focusing on five scenes on the church’s exterior facade.
The frescoes in these scenes, having undergone documentation and surface cleaning, are being meticulously repaired using undertone (authentic coloring) and “acqua sporca” (“dirty water”) techniques to address damage caused by previous visitors.
Led by the Trabzon Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory Directorate teams, the restoration has unveiled the “Last Supper” scene, which depicts Jesus Christ’s last dinner with his apostles, restoring its clarity after years of damage.
Restorer Şenol Aktaş emphasized to an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent that their efforts aim to enhance the visual experience for present and future visitors of Sümela Monastery.
“We employ techniques like ‘undertone’ and ‘acqua sporca’ to meticulously remove writings, scratches and vandalism from frescoes, enhancing their visual clarity. Our painting approach focuses solely on restoring the original images, not altering their style or composition. Visitors often inquire about our methods, questioning their basis. Our process involves carefully painting over scratches while preserving the integrity of the artwork. This restoration reveals a cohesive picture, clearly illustrating our efforts when comparing before and after views.”
Aktaş highlighted the restoration’s impact, noting: “The ‘Last Supper’ scene, previously obscured by scratches, has been prominently restored. These scratches had obscured many scenes, including the ‘Last Supper,’ making them difficult to interpret. Through our restoration work, these images now shine with renewed beauty.”
Aktaş emphasized their ongoing commitment, stating: “Our primary focus is on preservation and restoration. In the future, we plan to implement a new method starting from higher areas and progressing downwards. Currently, our access is limited to lower parts. Once interior work is complete, we will extend our efforts outdoors, including protective measures for the upper frescoes.”
Restorer Beytullah Arslan highlighted urgent interventions aimed at safeguarding vulnerable areas from further decay. He explained: “Our interventions are meticulously planned based on documentation, paint and plaster analyses conducted by experts from the Istanbul Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory. We carefully select and apply mortars that match the original materials, ensuring authenticity and longevity.”
Sümela Monastery, carved into the Pontic Mountains in Trabzon at an elevation of 300 meters, stands as a historic Greek-Orthodox monastery from the Roman imperial period. Recently included on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, the monastery has seen increased visitor interest following extensive restoration and rock rehabilitation efforts.
