Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Republican Children’s Library will soon reopen its doors in Tashkent. The reconstruction of the 130-year-old building began in September 2020 according to the project of the St. Petersburg architectural bureau Ludi Architects. This was reported by the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Art.

In the course of work on the interior decoration of the library, picturesque panels were found. The builders removed more than 7 colorful layers, which covered the wall images. It was possible to establish that the murals belong to the 60s of the XX century.

For careful restoration and further preservation of the panel, hereditary restorers from Mesa, Turkey were invited. The three of them, Professor Myunnever Ucher, Associate Professor Kaya Ucher and restorer Elif Naz Ucher joined the work on the restoration of picturesque panels in the building of the Republican Children’s Library. Previously, the restoration team worked on the restoration of ceiling paintings in the Topkapı Palace, the Hagia Sophia and Suleymaniye Mosques in Istanbul, and other cultural heritage sites.

“According to the information received during the restoration work, we assume that the wall paintings were made in the early 60s of the last century. Our observations allow us to conclude that the paintings were made with oil paint on the surface of the wall, made from a mixture of straw and clay dried in the sun. Such material is known as kerpiç in Turkey or "adobe" in Uzbekistan, and is a characteristic building material of the region. The combination of adobe with oil paints made it possible to create spectacular wall paintings, which, thanks to their composition, have survived to this day. Upon completion of the restoration work, we plan to analyze the fragments of the paint layers in the restoration laboratory in Turkey. This will allow us to draw more accurate conclusions about the attribution of the found panels.” - Associate Professor Kaya Ucher notes.

“Perhaps the picturesque panels were painted over due to aging and fading of paints or visible external damage. Or, according to another version, due to the fact that the interior of the room has changed. In any case, the decision to paint over the painting completely preserved the images in the end. During the restoration of the panel, we try to clean the painting so that you can see the original painting. We plan to use traditional methods, adapting them to the unique colors and painting techniques of this work, in order to preserve the authentic character of the work. Our goal is to repair the damage and provide the surviving works with adequate protection,” commented Prof. Münnever Ucher.

It will be possible to see the restored picturesque panels in early September, when the Republican Children’s Library will reopen its doors to visitors