Technological research of Lukiškės Mother of God icon

Straipsnis yra Lukiškių Dievo Motinos ikonos technologinių tyrimų rezultatų apibendrinimas. Jame išsamiai aprašyta šio unikalaus kūrinio tapybos technika ir medžiagos, pateikti duomenys apie ikonos skydo konstrukciją ir jo proporcijas, įvertinta ikonos būklė prieš restauravimą. Ikona buvo ištirta neardančiais struktūriniais tyrimo metodais: fotografija ultravioletiniuose (UV) ir infraraudonuosiuose (IR) spinduliuose, rentgenografija (x-ray), optine mikroskopija (OM), taip pat cheminės mikroanalizės metodais: skenuojančia elektronine mikroskopija su energijos dispersine rentgenospektrine (SEM-EDX) analize, Furjė transformacijos infraraudonųjų spindulių spektroskopija (FT-IR) ir rentgenodifrakcine (XRD) analize. Gauti technologinių tyrimų duomenys papildė Lukiškių Dievo Motinos ikonos meno istorinius tyrimus ir kartu pateikė naujos svarbios informacijos apskritai apie pobizantinių ikonų tapybos technikas.The comprehensive results of the technological research conducted during the restoration process in 2008-2012 of Lukiškės' Mother of God painting are presented in the article. The icon was analysed by non-destructive structural research methods: optical microscopy (OM), ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) photography, x-ray and chemical microanalysis methods: scanning electronic microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). During the analysis, the condition of Lukiškės' Mother of God icon was assessed, the structure of the icon's shield, painting technique were determined and the pigments binding materials were identified. The results of the technological research supplemented research by art historians on the painting and also provided new important information on the painting techniques of post-Byzantine icons. Lukiškės' Mother of God icon is painted on a shield of lime wood, partially covered in linen fabric. The icon's primer is of white colour and derived from chalk, the -authentic palette consists of natural pigments: red ocher (hematite), cinnabar, yellow and brown ocher, gold, indigo, lead white, organic black; the paint binder is egg yolk. The icon was renewed several times - partially primed and fully overpainted in oil. The pigments used in later overpaintings were: indigo, lead white and zinc white, brown, red and yellow ocher, Napoli yellow, lead Chromate, cadmium yellow, green earth, cinnabar, and cadmium red