Exhibiting Loss: A Preliminary Study of the Presentation of Byzantine Icons in Greek Museums

ABSTRACT

This paper draws inspiration from the observation that Byzantine icons in Greek museums are exhibited in an unrestored state, with traces of damage and loss kept visible, in contrast with the majority of painted artworks. To identify the reasoning behind this approach to public presentation, research based on interviews with scholars in the field was conducted. The main issues they raised are summarized and discussed. Conservation ethics, the interests of scholars of the Byzantine period, ideological ferment in Greece between the two world wars, the impact of historical events and the role of religion as a living tradition in Greece are themes that recurred throughout the interviews. It appears that along with scientific and rational developments, broader ideologies and aesthetics that derive from evolving social influences also influence conservation decision-making.

KEYWORDS:

• Restoration
• retouching
• icon conservation
• conservation ethics
• conservation philosophy
• aesthetics
• damage
• loss

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their warm thanks to all the interviewees for their important contributions: Dr Antonis Bekiaris, archaeologist, Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens; Pantelis Boukalas, journalist and essayist; Eugenia Chalkia, Director Emerita of the Byzantine and Christian Museum; Anastasia Drandaki, Assistant Professor of Byzantine Art and Archaeology, Dept of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens; Ioannis Frilingos, theologian and doctor of Byzantine Archaeology and Art; Olga Gratziou, Professor Emerita, University of Crete, Heraklion; Dr Nikos Kastrinakis, archaeologist, Byzantine and Christian Museum; Nikolas Konstantios, archeologist and museologist, Byzantine and Christian Museum; Anastasios Koutsouris, Assistant Professor, Dept of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art University of West Attica, Athens; Dr George Manginis, archaeologist, Academic Director of the Benaki Museum; Evgenios Matthiopoulos, Professor of Art History, University of Crete; Dionisios Mourelatos, Adjunct Lecturer in Byzantine Art and Archaeology, University of West Attica; Spyros Nasainas, architect and exhibition designer; Thalia Papageorgiou, former head of the Conservation Department, Byzantine and Christian Museum; Dimitris Pavlopoulos, Professor of History of Art, Dept of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Dimitris Plantzos, Professor of Classical Archaeology, Department of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Stergios Stasinopoulos, former head of the Conservation Department, Benaki Museum; Ioanna Stoufi–Poulimenou, Professor of Byzantine Archaeology and Art, Department of Theology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The authors are grateful to the Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki, the Benaki Museum Athens, and the Patriarchal Foundation for Patristic Studies for providing the permition to use the images of this paper. Special thanks are due to Dr Gerasimos Papanastasatos, sociologist and criminologist, for his assistance with research methodology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).