TREATMENT OF THE VIRGIN MARY ICON OF THE PAINTER ANASTASI AL QUDSI AL RUMI DATING BACK TO 19TH CENTURY IN EGYPT

Abstract

The present paper is intended to be a first part of a study on the restoration of the Virgin Mary icon in the Mary Church at the Menoufia Governorate in Egyptian Delta. This icon dating to 19 th century and painted by famous painter in this period, Anastasi Al Qudsi Al Rumi who was responsible for the greater part of icons production in the middle of the 19 th century in Egypt. Very valuable information is obtained both about the damage of the varnish layer in the paint surface due to the surrounding environment (Church wax, soot and tar, in place where icon lamps and candles are lit close by) and about the state of preservation of the icon. Finally, this paper is devoted to describing the Conservation process of this icon through different steps such as (Consolidation, Cleaning, Filling, Retouching, Varnishing).