Glimpse of History from ANCL Archives:
Sigiriya - forty years ago
When vandals daubed paint on the Sigiriya frescoes in 1968, Dr.
Luciano Marenzi was flown down from Italy to restore as far as possible
the horrors of the vandal's daubs. Following are the reports of the
accounts given in the Sunday Observer of March 1, 1968.
Dr. Marenzi due back for final touch up (by an Observer reporter)
"Dr. Luciano Marenzi, the Italian art expert associated in the early
stages of the Sigiriya fresco restoration returns to Ceylon next week,
when he, together with Ceylonese Technicians and scientists will begin
the final stages of undoing as far as possible the horrors of the
vandal's daubs.
Archaeology Department staff have now finished cleaning the ugly
green smears and chisel blows that scarred one of the country's greatest
art treasures.
The acting Commissioner of Archaeology, Dr. Rajah de Silva said the
"frescoes have now been cleaned". But in the cleaning some restoration
undertaken by the Archaeological Department in 1897 have come off. ..the
restoration methods that will be used have been described as easily
reversible.
That is if at any time it is felt that the restoration is unnecessary
and that the original is desirable, then the new work could be undone
without difficulty."
Compiled by Indeewara Thilakaratne and Aditha
Dissanayake |