The Painting Materials and Conservation Status of an Old Romanian Orthodox Icon Atributted to Simon The Painter from Bălgrad

The orthodox wooden icon “Saint Archangel Michael” attributed to the painter Simon from Balgrad is the only one known in the Cluj county and it is kept at the Metropolitan Museum from Cluj-Napoca, with an inventory number dating from 1976. The icon recently underwent a basic cleaning process and its conservation status was studied, together with the materials used for its manufacturing. The information gathered will offer information for continuing the restoration process and to document the materials and techniques used by the painter, useful for further researches regarding the author. The investigations employed nondestructive Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) measurements, photographic and microscopig imaging. Various degradation processes and damages were identified and preliminary conservation measures were taken. No previous restoration actions were identified. A frame repainting made at an unkown date was observed (and removed). The materials identified were appropriate for the time of execution: white lead, Prussian blue, cinnabar, natural earth brown and green pigments, copper green, silver and gold leaf and painting technique was identified as tempera.