Pavel Geryk↓

About the work

Research of an altarpiece “Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Vision” for the Academic Parish at the Church of the Most Holy Salvator in Prague

My final thesis deals with a thorough optical investigation of an altarpiece from the Church of the Most Holy Salvator in Prague depicting a scene with the St. Ignatius of Loyola’s mystical vision of the Holy Trinity. The work was subjected to various physical and optical methods of research, the findings of which form the basis of the theoretical part, including the connection with historical facts and the alignment of the painting technique of the particular work with the the then current practice. Through UV luminescence we can see numerous secondary interventions, not only from previous restorations.

In the course of my studies I have had the opportunity to study and understand the construction of painting in different historical periods, focusing on the technique of the old masters. An unforgettable opportunity was the chance to create a cut-out copy based on Brandl’s several- metre-long painting from Jindřichův Hradec. Then there was the making of a copy of a portable gilded altar by Giotto’s follower, Bernardo Daddi, through the study of which I tried to understand the technique of gilding, the period preparation of the ground and pigments, including painting with egg tempera. This experience led me to deepen my interest in icon painting.

I attended a number of courses and workshops that the studio facilitated, which deepened my knowledge. The encounters with Paolo Cremonesi, Alberto Felici and Kate Seymour remain fundamental for me.