TIRANA, May 19 – The monumental icon “Saint Mary with Christ in her right arm”, a work by Onufri, returned to public display in Berat. It followed a three-month restoration process at the Conservation and Restoration Laboratory of the Onufri Iconographic Museum. Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Blendi Gonxhja shared images of the restored icon on social media. He said the presentation took place on International Museum Day. The icon also carries the name “Mona Lisa of Berat”.
Restorers worked on the paint layers. They cleaned the surface. They restored the shine of the silver decoration. The surface had darkened over centuries due to oxidation and accumulated dirt. The icon dates to the 16th century. Restorer Erion Lezi led the intervention. The object measures 130 × 75 cm. It belongs to the iconostasis of the Dormition Cathedral of Saint Mary, where the Onufri Museum operates today.
Earlier restoration work took place around half a century ago. The artwork showed damage in the preparatory layers. It also showed damage in the pictorial film. In addition, it showed long-term surface accumulation, especially on the silver layer. The public now sees the icon with restored harmony, elegance and expressive power.
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