RENOVATION OF THE ICONOSTASIS OF THE CHURCH OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AT KRKA MONASTERY, Diocese of Dalmatia – Republic of Croatia

The iconostasis of the Church of the Archangel Michael at Krka Monastery emerged in its present form and iconographic order in the early eighteenth century. It is composed of a large number of icons of different typological characteristics, time and place of origin. At that time, 4 icons from the throne zone, the central icon of the Virgin and Child and two icons, St. Peter and St. Paul, which had been preserved from the previous iconostasis, were transferred to the new iconostasis on a new brick base. To these icons were added the 38 small feasts icons (Zone II), the Holy Doors and composition of the Crucifixion (Zone III), which were ordered for the iconostasis and constructed in Russia in 1704 by the painter Mikhail Ivanov. At the end of August 2008 the complex conservation and restoration began on the iconostasis of the Church of the Archangel Micheal in the Krka Monastery. These works were funded by the Provincial Secretariat of Culture of AP Vojvodina, and the Diocese of Dalmatia, and based on the project of conservation and restoration of the iconostasis of the Ministry of Culture, Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Conservation Department in Sibenik All works were divided into two phases: The first phase included examination of each icon individually, work on plaster plastics in zones II and III and the parapet, work on the wrought iron plastics on the Holy Doors, wood impregnation and consolidation of the frame of the icons. The second phase included the final conservation and restoration work on the 38 icons in zones II and III and 6 icons from the Holy Doors. During the works, a number of important facts regarding the origin and history of the iconostasis came to light and these were published in the joint article: mr. Branko Čolović, Miroslav Zakić, Iconostasis in the Orthodox church of the Archangel Michael in the Krka monastery and the executed conservation and restoration works , Materials for the study of cultural Monuments of Vojvodina XXIV-XXV. The works were completed in mid-November 2008 and carried out by the following group of conservators : Miroslav Zakić, picture restorer, head of operations; Rastko Čurčić, sculptor conservator; Miroslav Nonin, picture restorer; mr. Branko Čolović, art historian, associate; mr. Jasna Gulan, picture restorer; Lukaci Lajos, technician for the final processing of metals; Dusan Zelic woodcarving gilder; Predrag Inić, sculptor, associate; Dejan Radakovic, technician for woodworking.