Hermitage's Secret Lab: Restoring Ancient Frescoes to Life

Saint Petersburg's Hermitage Museum: Where Centuries-Old Frescoes Find New Life The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, houses a remarkable restoration laboratory dedicated to preserving monumental paintings. For decades, this laboratory has meticulously restored thousands of fragments of ancient wall paintings, many from sites like Penjikent in Tajikistan. The process, as shown in a recent video, involves careful examination, chemical analysis, and painstaking reconstruction. The video highlights the work on fragments from Penjikent, Afrasiab, Vakhsh, the Caucasus, and even Italy. One restorer, whose name was not provided in the video, commented on the meticulous nature of the work, saying, "Each fragment requires immense patience and skill." The restored pieces are displayed in the museum's permanent and temporary exhibitions, and some even travel internationally, sharing the rich history and artistry with a global audience. This dedicated work ensures that these ancient voices continue to speak to future generations.