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 Saint Petersburg Architectural Bureau Ludi Architects project, the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan reports.

Picturesque panels were found in the course of work on the interior decoration of the library. The builders removed more than 7 colorful layers covering the wall images. It was possible to establish that the drawings belonged to the 60s of the XX century.

For the panel's careful restoration and further preservation, hereditary restorers from the Mesa company (Türkiye) were invited. Professor Münevver Üçer, Associate Professor Kaya Üçer, and restorer Elif Naz Üçer have already started work. Previously, the restoration team worked on restoring ceiling paintings in the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and Süleymaniye mosques in Istanbul, and other cultural heritage sites.

“According to the information received during the restoration work, the drawings were made with oil paint on the wall’s surface, made from a mixture of straw and clay dried in the sun. Such material is known as kerpiç in Türkiye or adobe in Uzbekistan. Combining adobe with oil paints made it possible to create spectacular panels that survived. We plan to analyze paint-layer fragments in a restoration laboratory in Türkiye. This will allow us to draw more accurate conclusions about the found panels’ attribution, " notes Associate Professor Kaya Üçer.

“Perhaps the picturesque panels were painted over due to fading of colors or visible external damage. Another version is a change in the interior of the room. In any case, this solution helped save the images. During the restoration, we plan to use traditional methods, adapting them to the unique colors and pictorial technique of this work, to preserve the authentic character of the work. Our goal is to repair the damage and provide the preserved paintings with adequate protection”, commented Professor Münevver Üçer.

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.

The Architectural Bureau from Saint Petersburg Ludi Architects developed the reconstruction project. Since 2005, it has been involved in developing architectural and urban concepts, building design, and landscape design of urban areas and public spaces. The bureau specializes in working with museums and buildings of cultural objects, particularly libraries and book funds.

Nazokat Usmanova, UzA