Konzept zur präventiven Konservierung, Sicherung und Bewahrung für den Wandmalerei-Zyklus im Kreuzgang des Emmausklosters in Prag
Projektdurchführung
Technische Hochschule Köln
Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS)
Campus Südstadt, Ubierring 40
50678 Köln
Zielsetzung
The project addressed the long-term safeguarding of the Emmaus Cycle in the cloister of Emmaus Abbey in Prague, one of Central Europe's most important surviving medieval wall painting ensembles and designated a National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic. As a living Benedictine monastery, the Abbey continues to fulfil religious, cultural, educational, and public functions. Conservation planning must therefore balance preservation of the wall paintings with the continuing use of the monastery as a living heritage site.
Prior to the project, no comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment of the cycle had been undertaken despite its significance, and knowledge of the wall paintings remained fragmented. Although their art-historical importance was recognised, their conservation history, materials, environmental context, and deterioration had not been systematically investigated. Documentation of earlier conservation campaigns was dispersed across several archives, while the long-term effects of restoration treatments, environmental influences, atmospheric pollution, and patterns of use were poorly understood. This highlighted the need to integrate historical research, scientific investigation, environmental assessment, and conservation documentation to provide an evidence base for future decision-making.
The principal objective was to establish an evidence-based foundation for the conservation, management, and long-term safeguarding of the wall paintings through archival research, condition assessment, environmental monitoring, non-invasive imaging and analysis, material investigations, and interdisciplinary risk assessment. Particular emphasis was placed on the condition of the paintings, previous conservation interventions, and environmental and anthropogenic influences. The project also developed a transferable methodology for investigating, assessing risks to, and planning the conservation of comparable medieval wall-painting ensembles in the Czech Republic and across Europe, providing a model for integrated preventive conservation and management of similar monuments. It further integrated the ABC risk method into conservation planning beyond the museum context, prepared recommendations for a future Conservation Plan, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, involved international students in fieldwork and research, and disseminated the results through publications, an international scientific colloquium, and digital resources.
Arbeitsschritte
The project was organised into nine interrelated work packages implemented jointly by TH Köln, the University of Pardubice (UPCE), and the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart (ABK Stuttgart). Activities were carried out between January 2023 and March 2026 through field campaigns, laboratory investigations, interdisciplinary workshops, and continuous collaboration with Emmaus Abbey, the National Heritage Institute of the Czech Republic, and external specialists.
The work began with the collection, digitisation, and evaluation of archival documentation and literature, followed by a comprehensive visual examination and condition assessment of the entire wall painting cycle. High-resolution photogrammetry, orthophotography, and systematic graphic mapping formed the basis for documenting materials, deterioration phenomena, previous interventions, conservation requirements, and broader risk assessment.
Complementary non-invasive imaging and analytical investigations included multiband and narrowband multispectral imaging using the Phase One Rainbow Multispectral Imaging Solution, as well as portable elemental and spectroscopic analyses and infrared thermography. The results informed strategic microsampling for laboratory investigations using microscopy, spectroscopy, and chromatographic methods to investigate plaster and paint stratigraphy and characterise conservation materials and deterioration products.
Environmental investigations comprised long-term microclimate monitoring, moisture assessment, evaluation of historical air-pollution data, and surveys of the building, its services, and patterns of use. These investigations were complemented by adapting and implementing the ABC risk management method for the specific requirements of in situ wall paintings in a historic building.
The results were integrated through a shared digital platform, regular interdisciplinary meetings, and dedicated risk assessment workshops. Their integration provided the basis for evidence-based recommendations for future conservation, preventive care, maintenance, monitoring, and management. Knowledge exchange was further strengthened through the participation of international students, collaboration with external specialists, and an international colloquium held at Emmaus Abbey in May 2025.
Ergebnisse
The project achieved all principal investigative objectives and established the first comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment of the Emmaus Cycle in the cloister of Emmaus Abbey. Archival research reconstructed the conservation history of the cycle by evaluating approximately 1,000 historical photographs and associated documentation, providing insights into twentieth-century restoration campaigns and their long-term impact.
Combined visual examination, non-invasive imaging, scientific analysis, and laboratory investigations significantly improved understanding of the paintings' materials and technique. The investigations confirmed the high quality of the original execution, identified previously undocumented gilding and decorative features, and characterised materials introduced during earlier conservation campaigns, including synthetic polymers and pigments from later retouching. These findings substantially improve understanding of the paintings' history and conservation requirements.
Condition surveys showed that the wall paintings are not exposed to any immediate environmental threat. Nevertheless, localised deterioration associated with ageing, previous restoration treatments, soluble salts, structural movement, and patterns of use was identified. Long-term environmental monitoring demonstrated generally stable conditions while identifying areas requiring continued observation. Adapting the ABC risk management methodology to an in situ wall-painting ensemble enabled systematic risk evaluation and prioritisation, informing recommendations for conservation and ongoing management.
The project also generated methodological advances, including a systematic Liquid Moisture Survey, a remotely accessible environmental monitoring system with automated alerts, a predominantly non-invasive investigative strategy that minimised physical sampling while providing comprehensive information, and multiband and narrowband multispectral imaging using the Phase One Rainbow imaging system, together with portable elemental and spectroscopic analyses and infrared thermography.
The project provides an evidence base for conservation planning at Emmaus Abbey and a transferable methodology for investigating, assessing, monitoring, and managing comparable wall-painting ensembles in the Czech Republic and across Europe, while contributing to the education of future conservation professionals through international student participation.
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Public outreach and professional dissemination were integral to the project. Principal activities included an international colloquium held at Emmaus Abbey in Prague in May 2025; presentations at specialist conferences and meetings; workshops; lectures; media coverage; press releases; institutional websites; and social media communication by the project partners and Emmaus Abbey. Among the principal academic contributions were a lecture at the Czech Academy of Sciences and a poster presentation at TECHNART 2025 in Perugia.
Emmaus Abbey funded a dedicated project website to provide long-term public access to project information, a virtual 3D tour of the cloister, photogrammetric documentation, and interpretative resources for specialists and the wider public. Further dissemination is being achieved through peer-reviewed publications, and an edited English-language volume is planned for publication in 2027. The active involvement of students, early-career researchers, heritage professionals, and representatives of Emmaus Abbey strengthened knowledge transfer, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional capacity building.
Fazit
The project achieved its principal objective of establishing an evidence-based foundation for the long-term conservation, preventive care, management, and safeguarding of the medieval wall paintings in the cloister of Emmaus Abbey. By integrating archival research, condition assessment, multispectral imaging, scientific investigation, environmental monitoring, and risk assessment, it delivered the first comprehensive interdisciplinary evaluation of the wall painting cycle and significantly improved understanding of its conservation history, materials, condition, and future conservation requirements.
The project demonstrated the value of combining predominantly non-invasive investigation with environmental assessment, stakeholder participation, and value- and risk-based decision-making. The resulting documentation, methodologies, and recommendations, organised within a Framework for Action, provide a robust basis for future conservation planning by Emmaus Abbey and the National Heritage Institute of the Czech Republic. As implementation lay beyond the project's scope, future work should focus on testing and evaluating selected conservation treatments and presentation strategies.
Beyond its significance for Emmaus Abbey, the project provides a transferable interdisciplinary mainly non-invasive methodology for the investigation, assessment, risk management, and conservation planning of comparable wall painting ensembles and other complex heritage sites.