Venizelos G. Gavrilakis
The icon of Panagia Eleousa from Büyükada (Pringipos), one of the Princes’ Islands of Istanbul, represents a remarkable case in Byzantine and post-Byzantine art: a bilateral portable icon of the 14th/16th century, which has undergone multiple interventions and aesthetic transformations over the centuries.
Historical and Artistic Context
This unique two-sided icon, painted on both faces of a wooden support, is of exceptional interest not only to scholars of Byzantine and post-Byzantine art, but also to specialists in conservation science. Its complex history embodies the challenges of preserving cultural heritage that has been repeatedly affected by time, environment, and human handling.
The conservation and restoration were undertaken by the VENIS STUDIOS team, under the direction of Senior Experts Art conservators and restorers Venizelos G.Gavrilakis, alongside Vaia A. Karagianni, in collaboration with the Ormylia Foundation research centre (Chalkidiki, Greece) and its Scientific Director, Mr. Georgios Karagiannis, and Professor Athanasios Semoglou, Byzantine art historian at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Preliminary Examination and Findings
The initial examination phase involved the removal of a silver revetment, dated to circa 1750, that covered the front depiction of the Panagia Eleousa. Beneath it, the 16th-century painted surface was revealed in remarkable condition. Embedded beneath the revetment were numerous coins and silver votive offerings deposited by pilgrims over centuries—among them, a gold coin from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II (1808–1839). Each of these artifacts was documented, examined, and conserved alongside the icon.
On the reverse, the removal of a bronze protective casing revealed another extraordinary composition: The Descent into Hades. Following detailed cleaning and restoration, scientific observation established that the painting originated from two distinct chronological phases—the 14th and 16th centuries—and bore evidence of conservation efforts and repainting from successive periods.
Scientific Analysis
Physico-chemical analyses were conducted at the Ormylia Foundation, where 40 micro-samples were extracted from both sides of the icon. Stratigraphic studies identified pigment layers, gold leaf, undercoats, and binding materials, contributing to the precise dating and technological reconstruction of the work.
Advanced imaging techniques were employed, including:
- Ultraviolet (UV) photography, to detect surface alterations, overpainting, and earlier restorations;
- Infrared reflectography, to examine underdrawings and pigment compositions;
- 3D Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), for the digital documentation of surface pathology and structural deformations;
- Black-and-white and linear damage mapping, providing data on deterioration patterns and loss distribution.
Conservation Methodology
The museum-grade level conservation and restoration treatment was executed in several sequential phases. The first priority was the consolidation of the paint layer and gesso preparation, which exhibited extensive flaking and pulverisation. Subsequently, the wooden support, severely weakened by wood carving insects activity, was stabilised and strengthened through non-toxic insecticidal treatment and micro-injections of consolidants.
In the early 20th century, the icon’s reverse had been covered with a bronze metal plate as a preventive measure against further degradation—an intervention now confirmed during treatment. The removal of this covering enabled the first comprehensive examination of the original structure.
Mechanical and chemical cleaning processes followed, performed under stereomicroscopic observation to ensure maximum precision. Multiple oxidized varnish layers, soot deposits, wax, and accretions were carefully reduced using selected organic solvents, revealing the original 14th- and 16th-century layers of both compositions.
During cleaning, a partial inscription was uncovered on the lower left section of The Descent into Hades. High-resolution imaging and digital enhancement facilitated its documentation and ongoing study.
Ethical and Aesthetic Considerations
All treatments were carried out in strict adherence to international conservation ethics, respecting the principles of reversibility, material compatibility, and minimum intervention. Prior to inpainting, a digital restoration study was performed to determine the optimal extent of visual reintegration.
For chromatic reintegration, the Italian “Trateggio–Rigatino” technique was employed—a method ensuring that retouching remains distinguishable at close viewing but visually unified from a distance.
Upon completion, the icon was protected with a special reversible varnish formulated for historical paintings, providing protection against ultraviolet radiation, humidity, and pollutants, and ensuring long-term preventive conservation.
Art-Historical Interpretation
Scholarly consensus, as confirmed by Professor Semoglou, identifies the icon as a bilateral processional image. The original 14th-century composition featured The Descent into Hades on one side and The Panagia Eleousa on the other. Subsequent destruction and loss led to the partial reconstruction of the wooden panel and a complete 16th-century repainting of the Panagia Eleousa, while the reverse was partially restored in the same century following iconographic conventions of the post-Byzantine period.
Thus, the surviving work embodies two distinct chronological and artistic phases—a rare phenomenon illustrating not only the theological and liturgical function of Byzantine icons, but also the history of their conservation through the ages.
The completed conservation and restoration ensured the preservation of this invaluable artifact, safeguarding both its material integrity and its spiritual, historical, and artistic essence. Through the meticulous work of the conservators and restorers scientists of VENIS STUDIOS, the icon’s dual identity—as both a 14th-century Byzantine creation and a 16th-century restoration—was rediscovered and documented.
This process represents not merely the conservation and restoration of an icon, but the rescue of a cultural narrative spanning seven centuries—from Byzantium to the 21st century. The icon of Panagia Eleousa continues to embody the devotion, craftsmanship, and resilience of Byzantine faith and art, now preserved for future generations.