Gura Humorului: MRA-ROU-Gur002
Type Sample Item
Sample ID
- MRA-ROU-Gur002
Sample Material Type
- Mural painting
Sample Sub-type
- fragment
Dimensions (cm)
- Length
- 3.7
- Width
- 3.8
- Height
- 0.55
Weight
- weight value (g)
- 10.05
Geographic Location
- Country
- Romania
- Place
- Gura Humorului
Site/monument
- Romania (ROU)
Gura Humorului
Gura Humor Monastery
Historical note about the site/monument
- Humor Monastery is a monastery located in the outskirts of Gura Humorului, in northern Romania, and originally hosted nuns of the order of the Dormition of Mary, or Theotokos. The monastery was originally located in another position, 500 m dislocated from the current location and dated back to prior 1415. The first church was constructed by Judge Ivan (Oana) before that date. Judge Ivan was a wealthy boyar who held other possessions in the whereabouts, including another church in Tulova. Soon, the monastery became one of the most important in the country, but it undercame destruction in the third decade of the 16th century. The cause for the destruction is unknown, probably was due to a natural disaster that stroke the region, for several building appear to have undergone reconstruction in the same period. Humor Monastery was reconstructed by Petru Rareș, or Peter IV (1483-1546), together with other monasteries. The same Petru Rareș built his burial place in Probota. Even if Rareș started the work, it was continued with a nobleman, the Great Chancellor Toafer, or Bubuiog. Vasile Lupu enlarged the area with additional walls and watchtower due to the frequent robberies occurred in the 16th century, although the improvement had no effect. When in 1775 Austria of Bucovina took control over the area, Humor Monastery was closed, and the annexed church of the Assumption of the Virgin was converted into a parish. In the last two decades of the 20th century the church was interested by a series of modifications: first a new parish church was erected in 1980 and in 1992, a new monastic community was restored. The Humor Monastery includes the two churches, the old one dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, and the new one close to the other. The construction includes also the dormitory of the order, the 16th-century tower and external walls. Remarkable are the open exonarthex of the old church of Humor, that is the first of its kind in Bucovia. The east and the wall of this space are decorated with a single fresco representation of the Last Judgement covering the two walls. Even the external walls of the exonarthex are completely decorated with framed representations of saints and holy men.
Chronological period (sample)
- 15th-16th century
Date of sampling
- Unknown
- Yes
Other related archival documents
- Official letter from Direction des Monuments historiques to the Director of ICR for the samples assignment [ photo 20180803_145150]. The document includes the list of samples with description and sampling place [photos 20180803_145211 and 20180803_145230 ]; image of the sampling places [ photo 20180803_115240] and ambiental condition data [ photo 20180803_145250].EB86: folder 12_Romania 1961
Related samples
- This sample is related with samples MRA-ROU-Gur001 and MRA-ROU-Gur003
Other information about the sample
- The samples were sent to ICR for analysis. The goals of the research are unknown.
Support
- Support material type
- Lime-based mortar
- Number of layers
- 1
- Aprox. thickness (from bottom to top in cm)
- 0.5
- Colour (from bottom to top)
- White
- Material description
- Lime-based mortar with fine siliceous and lithic aggregates (˂1mm), and fine ceramic fragments. Possible use of straw pieces as aggregates.
Finishing Layers
- Finishing layers material type
- Paint layer
- Number of layers
- 1
- Aprox. thickness (μm)
- 500
- Colour
- Orange
- Material description
- Orange paint layer with visible brushstrokes
Finishing Layers
- Clear evidences of detachment. Variations in hue might be related to degradation processes