Dimitar Rizov is the first full-time icon conservator-restorer of the National Church Museum of H... more Dimitar Rizov is the first full-time icon conservator-restorer of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology. He held this position between 1938 and 1960. Although his work is of great importance to the current state of the museum collection, his conservation practice has not yet been sufficiently studied. The article focuses on the first conservation of the two-sided icon of Panagia Theoskepasti and Crucifixion of Christ, performed by Dimitar Rizov in 1941. The icon was relocated to the museum from the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, Sozopol, in 1939 and is being published for the first time. Thе current text is an attempt to reconstruct and evaluate the work done by the museum conservator-restorer to establish the degree of authenticity of the restored artwork. Notes and photographs from the personal archive of the conservator-restorer were used for the purpose of the study. The examined documents contain information on the transfer of the painting layer of the icon onto a new panel. This calls into question the authenticity of the artwork, because the icon is originally two-sided. The present research reveals a number of inaccuracies in Dimitar Rizov’s notes. Surviving photographs indicate that he attempted to transfer the painting layer of the icon of Panagia Theoskepasti, but returned it back to its original wooden panel. The interventions carried out (without the use of protective layer) damaged the entire surface of the icon, which can hardly be positively evaluated from a modern point of view. Nevertheless, today it can be considered that Dimitar Rizov is a conservator-restorer with great experience gained during his long-term work with the collection of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology.
“St. Anastasia” is the only island on the Black Sea coast of present-day Bulgaria with a preserve... more “St. Anastasia” is the only island on the Black Sea coast of present-day Bulgaria with a preserved monastery. It was under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1900, when it was sold with all its property by the last Greek abbot, Archimandrite Antim, to two Burgas entrepreneurs. The sale was met with great indignation by the Burgas public and was annulled in 1901 by the Burgas District Court. After that the monastery passed under the management of the Municipality of Burgas. The abandoned monastery church was solemnly consecrated on August 15th of the same year by the Sliven Metropolitan Bishop Gervasius. The text presents three unpublished letters by the publicist and social figure Raicho Raichev sent in 1911 from the island to Atanas Chilingirov who at that time worked at the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia. The letters reveal unknown moments in the history of the monastery in the early 20th c. and are evidence of the state of the cultural monuments and artefacts preserved there. During the sale, the monastery lost much of its cultural property, library and archives. Some artifacts were transferred to the Greek consulate in Burgas in 1901 and handed over to the Athens Metropolitan in 1929. Raicho Raichev’s letters also reveal an attempt that has been made to export icons. On July 25, 1911, a “Russian with several servants” arrived on the island. He searched the monastery and removed 12 old icons from one of the cells. The “Russian prayed to tears” to the guard of the monastery to let him take them, but thanks to the intervention of Raicho Raichev the icons remain in the monastery. At this stage of the research it is difficult to establish exactly which icons were saved by Raicho Raichev. Probably among them are the works of the icon painter Dimitar and Joan of Ahtopol, some of the most talented and sought-after painters who worked in the Western Black Sea region in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today the preserved icons are extremely important for future research of the monastery and its history. They are important for clarifying the construction periodization of the church, the dating of the iconostasis and are evidence of the financial capabilities and connections of the island monastery with the metropolitan centers along the coast.
The present study is dedicated to a hitherto unpublished photo from the Mavrodinov family archive... more The present study is dedicated to a hitherto unpublished photo from the Mavrodinov family archives, which is part of the mural programme of an unknown church. The upper end of the plate featured an inscription ‘St Spiridion’ on the emulsion. There are three pencil inscriptions on the reverse of the photo: „St Spiridon“?“, „Where?“, „Melnik?“. However, in the course of the present study, it emerged that the photo in question corresponds to the information left by André Grabar and Asen Vasiliev about the St George the Lesser church in Nessebar. It is a small, single-aisled structure with one apse and a prothesis and diakonikon niche at the eastern wall. On the basis of the hitherto known photos, the preserved murals and the published plan, researchers conditionally date the construction of the church in the Ottoman period. The research of Ivanka Gergova, Emanuel Moutafov and Georgi Gerov date the murals in the very beginning of the 17th century. Most of the murals were detached in 1946 and today are part of the funds of the National Institute of Archaeology and Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The church was demolished the same year. We owe most of the information about the mural paintings’ distribution in the church to the research of André Grabar, who visited Nessebar in 1920, and to Asen Vasiliev, who studied St George the Lesser in 1946. However, their information does not overlap completely. The photo is even more valuable because today we know of only small fragments of the murals in the altar that have been preserved. One discerns from the photo that the upper register on the north wall in the altar ended with the scene of Pentecost. The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria is below. The scene „Manifestation of Christ before the Myrrh-bearing women“ was depicted on the east wall, above the prothesis niche. According to the photo, Christ in the Tomb was represented in the prothesis niche. Between that niche and the apse St Archdeacon Stephen was featured. The high quality of the photo also provides new information about the inscriptions in the altar. The mistake in the inscription of the „Manifestation of Christ before the Myrrh-bearing women“ published by Asen Vasiliev has been commented in the article of Ivanka Gergova and Emanuel Moutafov. The reading of the text suggested by the authors is confirmed by the studied photo. Regrettably, the text above the figure of St Stephen was in bad condition when it was photographed and could hardly be taken down today. A rare inscription accompanying the image of Christ in the Tomb in the prothesis niche was in better condition and this has been presented in the text. Interestingly, none of the researchers mentions the inscription in the space between the prothesis niche and the north wall. Probably, it was not noticed by André Grabar because of the lack of natural light in the church altar. It is possible that in 1946, when the church was visited by Asen Vasiliev, the inscription was damaged severely, as were most of the murals in the altar. Regrettably, the inscription was also in very grave condition when the photo was made. This may probably be a commemorative inscription, but that does not preclude the possibility of it having contained information about the construction history of the church or about its decoration. At this stage of research, however, its contents remain unclear. The studied photo also provides information about some unknown architectural features of St George the Lesser church. Although only part of the eastern wall in the altar has been recorded, it clearly reveals the lack of a concha in the apse. The unusual lack of a concha in the apse also indicates the possibility that St George the Lesser may have been built on the ruins of an older church. This is also evidenced by the strange disruptions of the plaster in and around the prothesis niche, which seem to reveal traces of an earlier period of decoration. It seems the photo was part of the archives of the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia. It was probably made by the Russian immigrant General Vadim Lazarkevich. Today, this photo reveals details of the murals in the destroyed St George the Lesser church and allows new research of church art in Nessebar and of the icon-painter atelier that operated there at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. It also poses some new questions related to the architectural history of the church. If the photo was truly made in the altar of St George the Lesser church, then we can assume that it was not built in the beginning of the 17th century, but was just renovated then. This is indicated by the lack of a concha of the apse, the possible traces of earlier period of decoration in the prothesis niche, the design of the northern entrance, as well as by part of the icons in the iconostasis that are dated earlier. Of course, this is a hypothesis that is difficult to prove today. However, it corresponds to the activity of Christophoros, Metropolitan of Nessebar, who renovated the Ascension of Our Lord Church and the St Stephen Church (known also as the New Metropolia) at the same time.
The murals from the church at the Monastery of Saint John of Rila near Kurilo have been the objec... more The murals from the church at the Monastery of Saint John of Rila near Kurilo have been the object of a number of publications but the problems concerning their protection have remained outside the researchers’ attention. The article attempts to trace out the reconstructions and the works related to the protection of the church, which, together with the studies during the most recent conservation interventions, provide new data about the history of the monument. The first pieces of evidence were published by Vasil Kanchov in 1902 and they deal with the revealing of the murals and the ktetor’s inscription on the western wall and in the naos. The National Archaeological Museum in Sofia has an important contribution to the protection of the church: it led the strengthening of the building in 1940. In 1960s and 1970s the care of the monument was associated with the activity of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. The conservation projects prepared in that period also aimed at revealing the murals of 1596 but as a matter of a conjunction of circumstances they were not realized. The projects for the building’s conservation were not realized as well. The conservation of the murals was resumed in 2012. Currently, the 1596 layer in the naos of the church is almost entirely uncovered. During the last stage of the conservation the Kostadin Valyov’s murals were also revealed on the northern part of the altar with an inscription of 1829. This discovery has important significance not only for the history of the monument but for the creative work of the painter of Samokov as well. It turns out that the discovered fragments are his earliest precisely dated wall paintings. The last conservation interventions provide new evidence about the history of the monument but also pose different ethical problems for the specialists: one of them is the protection of the already removed murals of the painter Theodor dating from the mid-19th century. At this stage of research, the question concerning Kostadin Valyov’s murals remains unsolved. They cover the 16th-century layer from the northern part of the altar and the western facade of the old church. To a great extent, these prob lems are related to the absence of an overall program on the church’s protection. However, there is no doubt that the studies of this important monument must continue, as well as the efforts for its preservation.
The basis of this study is several unknown photographs made on behalf of the National Archaeologi... more The basis of this study is several unknown photographs made on behalf of the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia in the 20s of XX century, part of a long-gone Nessebar iconostasis shedding new light on Nessebar’s cultural heritage and in particular on the fate the huge amount of preserved icons. The abundant photographic archive contains information for all iconostasis preserved till the early ХХ century and also about the icons distribution on them.
The Church of St. John the Theologian in Sozopol, dated to the late eighteenth century, has most ... more The Church of St. John the Theologian in Sozopol, dated to the late eighteenth century, has most probably been built on the foundations of an earlier one. In the early twentieth century it has been home to a rich collection of invaluable icons of the fourteenth to nineteenth century. During the wars for national reunion, the church has been left derelict and in the early 1960s was demolished despite some attempts to be preserved. So the Church of St. John the Theologian remained an unexplored site, consequently forsaken by researchers. Talks of the demolished church started only recently with the increasing interest in the historical heritage of Sozopol and the intensive archaeological explorations within the territory of the town.
The facts revealed in this survey allow for clarifying a number of problems related to the design of the church, showing a number of inaccuracies in its building plan, published in 1977. A few photos of the altar murals were found in the archives of the National Institute
for Immovable Cultural Heritage, which were known only from early publications.
This study follows the whereabouts of the icons following the demolition of the church. Over
the years, these have been part of different collections and imprecise information of their provenance has occurred in scientific literature. Old photos and documents from different archives across the country have been used to identify the icons from the Deesis tier.
Now the icons of the Church of St. John the Theologian are part of the holdings of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology; of the Museum of Archaeology, Sozopol and of the Art Gallery in Burgas.
Dimitar Rizov is the first full-time icon conservator-restorer of the National Church Museum of H... more Dimitar Rizov is the first full-time icon conservator-restorer of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology. He held this position between 1938 and 1960. Although his work is of great importance to the current state of the museum collection, his conservation practice has not yet been sufficiently studied. The article focuses on the first conservation of the two-sided icon of Panagia Theoskepasti and Crucifixion of Christ, performed by Dimitar Rizov in 1941. The icon was relocated to the museum from the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, Sozopol, in 1939 and is being published for the first time. Thе current text is an attempt to reconstruct and evaluate the work done by the museum conservator-restorer to establish the degree of authenticity of the restored artwork. Notes and photographs from the personal archive of the conservator-restorer were used for the purpose of the study. The examined documents contain information on the transfer of the painting layer of the icon onto a new panel. This calls into question the authenticity of the artwork, because the icon is originally two-sided. The present research reveals a number of inaccuracies in Dimitar Rizov’s notes. Surviving photographs indicate that he attempted to transfer the painting layer of the icon of Panagia Theoskepasti, but returned it back to its original wooden panel. The interventions carried out (without the use of protective layer) damaged the entire surface of the icon, which can hardly be positively evaluated from a modern point of view. Nevertheless, today it can be considered that Dimitar Rizov is a conservator-restorer with great experience gained during his long-term work with the collection of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology.
“St. Anastasia” is the only island on the Black Sea coast of present-day Bulgaria with a preserve... more “St. Anastasia” is the only island on the Black Sea coast of present-day Bulgaria with a preserved monastery. It was under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1900, when it was sold with all its property by the last Greek abbot, Archimandrite Antim, to two Burgas entrepreneurs. The sale was met with great indignation by the Burgas public and was annulled in 1901 by the Burgas District Court. After that the monastery passed under the management of the Municipality of Burgas. The abandoned monastery church was solemnly consecrated on August 15th of the same year by the Sliven Metropolitan Bishop Gervasius. The text presents three unpublished letters by the publicist and social figure Raicho Raichev sent in 1911 from the island to Atanas Chilingirov who at that time worked at the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia. The letters reveal unknown moments in the history of the monastery in the early 20th c. and are evidence of the state of the cultural monuments and artefacts preserved there. During the sale, the monastery lost much of its cultural property, library and archives. Some artifacts were transferred to the Greek consulate in Burgas in 1901 and handed over to the Athens Metropolitan in 1929. Raicho Raichev’s letters also reveal an attempt that has been made to export icons. On July 25, 1911, a “Russian with several servants” arrived on the island. He searched the monastery and removed 12 old icons from one of the cells. The “Russian prayed to tears” to the guard of the monastery to let him take them, but thanks to the intervention of Raicho Raichev the icons remain in the monastery. At this stage of the research it is difficult to establish exactly which icons were saved by Raicho Raichev. Probably among them are the works of the icon painter Dimitar and Joan of Ahtopol, some of the most talented and sought-after painters who worked in the Western Black Sea region in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today the preserved icons are extremely important for future research of the monastery and its history. They are important for clarifying the construction periodization of the church, the dating of the iconostasis and are evidence of the financial capabilities and connections of the island monastery with the metropolitan centers along the coast.
The present study is dedicated to a hitherto unpublished photo from the Mavrodinov family archive... more The present study is dedicated to a hitherto unpublished photo from the Mavrodinov family archives, which is part of the mural programme of an unknown church. The upper end of the plate featured an inscription ‘St Spiridion’ on the emulsion. There are three pencil inscriptions on the reverse of the photo: „St Spiridon“?“, „Where?“, „Melnik?“. However, in the course of the present study, it emerged that the photo in question corresponds to the information left by André Grabar and Asen Vasiliev about the St George the Lesser church in Nessebar. It is a small, single-aisled structure with one apse and a prothesis and diakonikon niche at the eastern wall. On the basis of the hitherto known photos, the preserved murals and the published plan, researchers conditionally date the construction of the church in the Ottoman period. The research of Ivanka Gergova, Emanuel Moutafov and Georgi Gerov date the murals in the very beginning of the 17th century. Most of the murals were detached in 1946 and today are part of the funds of the National Institute of Archaeology and Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The church was demolished the same year. We owe most of the information about the mural paintings’ distribution in the church to the research of André Grabar, who visited Nessebar in 1920, and to Asen Vasiliev, who studied St George the Lesser in 1946. However, their information does not overlap completely. The photo is even more valuable because today we know of only small fragments of the murals in the altar that have been preserved. One discerns from the photo that the upper register on the north wall in the altar ended with the scene of Pentecost. The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria is below. The scene „Manifestation of Christ before the Myrrh-bearing women“ was depicted on the east wall, above the prothesis niche. According to the photo, Christ in the Tomb was represented in the prothesis niche. Between that niche and the apse St Archdeacon Stephen was featured. The high quality of the photo also provides new information about the inscriptions in the altar. The mistake in the inscription of the „Manifestation of Christ before the Myrrh-bearing women“ published by Asen Vasiliev has been commented in the article of Ivanka Gergova and Emanuel Moutafov. The reading of the text suggested by the authors is confirmed by the studied photo. Regrettably, the text above the figure of St Stephen was in bad condition when it was photographed and could hardly be taken down today. A rare inscription accompanying the image of Christ in the Tomb in the prothesis niche was in better condition and this has been presented in the text. Interestingly, none of the researchers mentions the inscription in the space between the prothesis niche and the north wall. Probably, it was not noticed by André Grabar because of the lack of natural light in the church altar. It is possible that in 1946, when the church was visited by Asen Vasiliev, the inscription was damaged severely, as were most of the murals in the altar. Regrettably, the inscription was also in very grave condition when the photo was made. This may probably be a commemorative inscription, but that does not preclude the possibility of it having contained information about the construction history of the church or about its decoration. At this stage of research, however, its contents remain unclear. The studied photo also provides information about some unknown architectural features of St George the Lesser church. Although only part of the eastern wall in the altar has been recorded, it clearly reveals the lack of a concha in the apse. The unusual lack of a concha in the apse also indicates the possibility that St George the Lesser may have been built on the ruins of an older church. This is also evidenced by the strange disruptions of the plaster in and around the prothesis niche, which seem to reveal traces of an earlier period of decoration. It seems the photo was part of the archives of the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia. It was probably made by the Russian immigrant General Vadim Lazarkevich. Today, this photo reveals details of the murals in the destroyed St George the Lesser church and allows new research of church art in Nessebar and of the icon-painter atelier that operated there at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. It also poses some new questions related to the architectural history of the church. If the photo was truly made in the altar of St George the Lesser church, then we can assume that it was not built in the beginning of the 17th century, but was just renovated then. This is indicated by the lack of a concha of the apse, the possible traces of earlier period of decoration in the prothesis niche, the design of the northern entrance, as well as by part of the icons in the iconostasis that are dated earlier. Of course, this is a hypothesis that is difficult to prove today. However, it corresponds to the activity of Christophoros, Metropolitan of Nessebar, who renovated the Ascension of Our Lord Church and the St Stephen Church (known also as the New Metropolia) at the same time.
The murals from the church at the Monastery of Saint John of Rila near Kurilo have been the objec... more The murals from the church at the Monastery of Saint John of Rila near Kurilo have been the object of a number of publications but the problems concerning their protection have remained outside the researchers’ attention. The article attempts to trace out the reconstructions and the works related to the protection of the church, which, together with the studies during the most recent conservation interventions, provide new data about the history of the monument. The first pieces of evidence were published by Vasil Kanchov in 1902 and they deal with the revealing of the murals and the ktetor’s inscription on the western wall and in the naos. The National Archaeological Museum in Sofia has an important contribution to the protection of the church: it led the strengthening of the building in 1940. In 1960s and 1970s the care of the monument was associated with the activity of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. The conservation projects prepared in that period also aimed at revealing the murals of 1596 but as a matter of a conjunction of circumstances they were not realized. The projects for the building’s conservation were not realized as well. The conservation of the murals was resumed in 2012. Currently, the 1596 layer in the naos of the church is almost entirely uncovered. During the last stage of the conservation the Kostadin Valyov’s murals were also revealed on the northern part of the altar with an inscription of 1829. This discovery has important significance not only for the history of the monument but for the creative work of the painter of Samokov as well. It turns out that the discovered fragments are his earliest precisely dated wall paintings. The last conservation interventions provide new evidence about the history of the monument but also pose different ethical problems for the specialists: one of them is the protection of the already removed murals of the painter Theodor dating from the mid-19th century. At this stage of research, the question concerning Kostadin Valyov’s murals remains unsolved. They cover the 16th-century layer from the northern part of the altar and the western facade of the old church. To a great extent, these prob lems are related to the absence of an overall program on the church’s protection. However, there is no doubt that the studies of this important monument must continue, as well as the efforts for its preservation.
The basis of this study is several unknown photographs made on behalf of the National Archaeologi... more The basis of this study is several unknown photographs made on behalf of the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia in the 20s of XX century, part of a long-gone Nessebar iconostasis shedding new light on Nessebar’s cultural heritage and in particular on the fate the huge amount of preserved icons. The abundant photographic archive contains information for all iconostasis preserved till the early ХХ century and also about the icons distribution on them.
The Church of St. John the Theologian in Sozopol, dated to the late eighteenth century, has most ... more The Church of St. John the Theologian in Sozopol, dated to the late eighteenth century, has most probably been built on the foundations of an earlier one. In the early twentieth century it has been home to a rich collection of invaluable icons of the fourteenth to nineteenth century. During the wars for national reunion, the church has been left derelict and in the early 1960s was demolished despite some attempts to be preserved. So the Church of St. John the Theologian remained an unexplored site, consequently forsaken by researchers. Talks of the demolished church started only recently with the increasing interest in the historical heritage of Sozopol and the intensive archaeological explorations within the territory of the town.
The facts revealed in this survey allow for clarifying a number of problems related to the design of the church, showing a number of inaccuracies in its building plan, published in 1977. A few photos of the altar murals were found in the archives of the National Institute
for Immovable Cultural Heritage, which were known only from early publications.
This study follows the whereabouts of the icons following the demolition of the church. Over
the years, these have been part of different collections and imprecise information of their provenance has occurred in scientific literature. Old photos and documents from different archives across the country have been used to identify the icons from the Deesis tier.
Now the icons of the Church of St. John the Theologian are part of the holdings of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology; of the Museum of Archaeology, Sozopol and of the Art Gallery in Burgas.
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The article focuses on the first conservation of the two-sided icon of Panagia Theoskepasti and Crucifixion of Christ, performed by Dimitar Rizov in 1941. The icon was relocated to the museum from the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, Sozopol, in 1939 and is being published for the first time. Thе current text is an attempt to reconstruct and evaluate the work done by the museum conservator-restorer to establish the degree of authenticity of the restored artwork.
Notes and photographs from the personal archive of the conservator-restorer were used for the purpose of the study. The examined documents contain information on the transfer of the painting layer of the icon onto a new panel. This calls into question the authenticity of the artwork, because the icon is originally two-sided. The present research reveals a number of inaccuracies in Dimitar Rizov’s notes. Surviving photographs indicate that he attempted to transfer the painting layer of the icon of Panagia Theoskepasti, but returned it back to its original wooden panel.
The interventions carried out (without the use of protective layer) damaged the entire surface of the icon, which can hardly be positively evaluated from a modern point of view. Nevertheless, today it can be considered that Dimitar Rizov is a conservator-restorer with great experience gained during his long-term work with the collection of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology.
The first pieces of evidence were published by Vasil Kanchov in 1902 and they deal with the revealing of the murals and the ktetor’s inscription on the western wall and in the naos. The National Archaeological Museum in Sofia has an important contribution to the protection of the church: it led the strengthening of the building in 1940. In 1960s and 1970s the care of the monument was associated with the activity of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. The conservation projects prepared in that period also aimed at revealing the murals of 1596 but as a matter of a conjunction of circumstances they were not realized. The projects for the building’s conservation were not realized as well. The conservation of the murals was resumed in 2012. Currently, the 1596 layer in the naos of the church is almost entirely uncovered. During the last stage of the conservation the Kostadin Valyov’s murals were also revealed on the northern part of the altar with an inscription of 1829. This discovery has important significance not only for the history of the monument but for the creative work of the painter of Samokov as well. It turns out that the discovered fragments are his earliest precisely dated wall paintings.
The last conservation interventions provide new evidence about the history of the monument but also pose different ethical problems for the specialists: one of them is the protection of the already removed murals of the painter Theodor dating from the mid-19th century. At this stage of research, the question concerning Kostadin Valyov’s murals remains unsolved. They cover the 16th-century layer from the northern part of the altar and the western facade of the old church. To a great extent, these prob lems are related to the absence of an overall program on the church’s protection. However, there is no doubt that the studies of this important monument must continue, as well as the efforts for its preservation.
The facts revealed in this survey allow for clarifying a number of problems related to the design of the church, showing a number of inaccuracies in its building plan, published in 1977. A few photos of the altar murals were found in the archives of the National Institute
for Immovable Cultural Heritage, which were known only from early publications.
This study follows the whereabouts of the icons following the demolition of the church. Over
the years, these have been part of different collections and imprecise information of their provenance has occurred in scientific literature. Old photos and documents from different archives across the country have been used to identify the icons from the Deesis tier.
Now the icons of the Church of St. John the Theologian are part of the holdings of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology; of the Museum of Archaeology, Sozopol and of the Art Gallery in Burgas.
The article focuses on the first conservation of the two-sided icon of Panagia Theoskepasti and Crucifixion of Christ, performed by Dimitar Rizov in 1941. The icon was relocated to the museum from the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, Sozopol, in 1939 and is being published for the first time. Thе current text is an attempt to reconstruct and evaluate the work done by the museum conservator-restorer to establish the degree of authenticity of the restored artwork.
Notes and photographs from the personal archive of the conservator-restorer were used for the purpose of the study. The examined documents contain information on the transfer of the painting layer of the icon onto a new panel. This calls into question the authenticity of the artwork, because the icon is originally two-sided. The present research reveals a number of inaccuracies in Dimitar Rizov’s notes. Surviving photographs indicate that he attempted to transfer the painting layer of the icon of Panagia Theoskepasti, but returned it back to its original wooden panel.
The interventions carried out (without the use of protective layer) damaged the entire surface of the icon, which can hardly be positively evaluated from a modern point of view. Nevertheless, today it can be considered that Dimitar Rizov is a conservator-restorer with great experience gained during his long-term work with the collection of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology.
The first pieces of evidence were published by Vasil Kanchov in 1902 and they deal with the revealing of the murals and the ktetor’s inscription on the western wall and in the naos. The National Archaeological Museum in Sofia has an important contribution to the protection of the church: it led the strengthening of the building in 1940. In 1960s and 1970s the care of the monument was associated with the activity of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. The conservation projects prepared in that period also aimed at revealing the murals of 1596 but as a matter of a conjunction of circumstances they were not realized. The projects for the building’s conservation were not realized as well. The conservation of the murals was resumed in 2012. Currently, the 1596 layer in the naos of the church is almost entirely uncovered. During the last stage of the conservation the Kostadin Valyov’s murals were also revealed on the northern part of the altar with an inscription of 1829. This discovery has important significance not only for the history of the monument but for the creative work of the painter of Samokov as well. It turns out that the discovered fragments are his earliest precisely dated wall paintings.
The last conservation interventions provide new evidence about the history of the monument but also pose different ethical problems for the specialists: one of them is the protection of the already removed murals of the painter Theodor dating from the mid-19th century. At this stage of research, the question concerning Kostadin Valyov’s murals remains unsolved. They cover the 16th-century layer from the northern part of the altar and the western facade of the old church. To a great extent, these prob lems are related to the absence of an overall program on the church’s protection. However, there is no doubt that the studies of this important monument must continue, as well as the efforts for its preservation.
The facts revealed in this survey allow for clarifying a number of problems related to the design of the church, showing a number of inaccuracies in its building plan, published in 1977. A few photos of the altar murals were found in the archives of the National Institute
for Immovable Cultural Heritage, which were known only from early publications.
This study follows the whereabouts of the icons following the demolition of the church. Over
the years, these have been part of different collections and imprecise information of their provenance has occurred in scientific literature. Old photos and documents from different archives across the country have been used to identify the icons from the Deesis tier.
Now the icons of the Church of St. John the Theologian are part of the holdings of the National Church Museum of History and Archaeology; of the Museum of Archaeology, Sozopol and of the Art Gallery in Burgas.