Practice of Using Virtual Reconstruction in the Restoration of Monumental Painting of the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour on Nereditsa Hill

There are many architectural monuments and old relics, the restoration of which is an unrealizable task. This may be due to the great amount of hard work to be done, complexity of the work, lack of information about the object and other reasons. In such cases, the virtual reconstruction is an effective tool. Saint-Petersburg State University developed a method of restoration of partially or completely lost monumental paintings. As an example and a practical application of new technology there was completed the virtual reconstruction of fresco paintings of the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior on Nereditsa Hill. The church was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. It appeared to be possible to reconstruct an architectural view of the church according to the old drawings, but rare frescos of the XIIth century had been irretrievably lost. The extant parts of frescoes consist of 325,000 pieces. Although they are being on restoration now, but this work is still far from completion. In this case the method of computer-based reconstruction is much more efficient, it helps us to avoid mistakes and find a compromise decision on the issue of reconstruction or restoration of the object. As a result of the project, a fairly accurate reconstruction of the object has been produced and a method of reconstruction of the lost fresco painting has been developed. The basis and sources of virtual reconstruction were archaeological materials, archival and contemporary historical, architectural and art papers, scientific research in this field. In the process of virtual reconstruction there were used two main methods: a technology of computer graphics as well as analog pictorial reconstruction. The first method makes it possible to complete the work of reconstruction with complete fidelity, whereas the second method helps us to convey the artist's style, to reproduce the form, direction and strength of the artist's touch and texture of the frescos. The results of the project can be used for further practical work for the restoration of the object. The methodology, developed by authors of the project, may open new possibilities for the restoration of other fresco ensembles.