Artist unknown, Untitled, ca. second half of 19th century, wall painting made in secco technique, 62 cm x 138 cm, Mansion of the bishop Haulik, Zagreb, Croatia

This beautiful monochrome neo-renaissance lunette ornament framed by an architectural frame made of profiled arch on the upper side and a cornice that borders the image on the lower side was completely covered with layers of different types of wall paints. Conservation-restoration works were consisted of cleaning, consolidation of plaster and paint layer, reconstruction of the paint layer and the paint itself, its architectural framework and the research involving element analysis for determining the composition of pigments and paint layer analysis to determine their binder.

In doing so, two methods were used: pigment analysis by thin layer chromatography and FTIR spectroscopy. The XRF analysis in situ as a result gave the elemental composition of the used pigments. After all works were done the whole painting and its frame got a completely different and unrecognizable look. The missing parts of the paint layer were reconstructed with the help of the other cleaned lunettes in the lounge of the mansion with the same neo-renaissance motifs hidden under coats of paint as well.