Conservation of Glass and Stone Mosaics of the Czech Mosaics School

Provider: Ministry of Culture

Programme: National and Cultural Identity Applied Research and Development Programme - NAKI II

Implementation period: 01.03.2016 - 31.12.2020

Recipient/coordinator: Faculty of Restoration, University of Pardubice
Responsible Principal Investigator of the beneficiary/coordinator Faculty of Restoration - Studio of Restoration and Conservation of Wall Paintings, Sgraffito and Mosaics

Project partner: VŠCHT Praha 

Principal Investigator: Mgr. Vladislava Říhová, Ph.D., Mgr. art. Jan Vojtěchovský, Ph.D. 

Project link: Project | Czech Mosaics

The objectives of the project can be divided into two main parts. The first is to collect information on the occurrence, type and current implementation of a specific art and craft technique, the wall mosaic, which had a significant position in the Czech Republic from the 1930s to the 1980s. However, because it was associated with the promotion of the regime of the time in the second half of the 20th century, it was considered outdated and disgraced after 1989. In spite of the prejudice against this technique, it must be said that many fine works have been created in it by artists who are now highly respected. This is one of the reasons why interest in these works is beginning to grow again in society. With this growing interest, there is also a growing need to find appropriate repair and restoration techniques for mosaics from the period in question. Due to the very small number of restorers involved in this field and the lack of experience and targeted studies on the subject, the quality of restoration interventions is currently very variable. Therefore, the second objective is to investigate and test restoration practices and approaches that would lead to a higher standard of quality of restoration work. The certified conservation practices that are the output of this project can serve both restorers and conservation staff.

The project had two main objectives, which complement each other:

1. Creation of a specialized map of exterior wall mosaics (FR UPCE and VŠCHT Praha) Czech mosaics-specialized database and map 

2. Heritage procedures  (FR UPCE and VŠCHT Prague) 

Restoration of glass mosaics in epoxy bed   

Possibilities of ,in situ´ restoration of glass mosaics

The methodology of the solution is divided into several stages, some of which build on each other, others overlap in time:

A.        Mapping of exterior mosaics

B.        Study of materials suitable for restoration of mosaics

C.        Preparation of materials for filling in missing blocks

D.        Conceiving special restoration procedures

E.        Preparatory phases of verification restoration interventions

F. Restoration and natural history survey of the identified mosaics

G.        Verification complex restoration interventions on the identified mosaics

Secondary outputs of the project: peer-reviewed scientific articles, articles in proceedings, organisation of a workshop