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tached tesserae were reset by gluing them to a cloth, and after consolidation of the plaster the mosaic was reinstalled. A temporary wooden strut was then fixed over the repair in order to push the mosaic tesserae and new plaster back into position against the wall. This procedure, a new one, preserved the original mosaic by strengthening its connection with the plaster and the bricks of the wall (Figs. 43-46). The conservators were particularly concerned about the condition of the bricks just behind the plaster under the mosaic of the Virgin enthroned with Christ child in the apse (Figs. 47-50). 37 Permission was obtained from the Turkish government to remove the lead from the exterior of the apse. Comparison of the bricks there to other (sixth-century) bricks in the building revealed that the apse conch brickwork is of that time period, and therefore precedes the mosaics there, which are of the ninth century. 44 Cleaning the Mosaics The conservators’ fieldwork records indicate considerable experimentation with new tools and with new chemical solutions for cleaning the mosaics and for the plaster used in consolidating the tesserae. Dental instruments, which are basic tools in conservation today, were first tested in Hagia Sophia in 1934 and found to be satisfactory for the work there (Figs. 51, 52). Originally, the method for cleaning plaster-encrusted mosaics called for scraping the surface with a sharp steel chisel, chopping away the final layer of plaster over the tesserae with a chisel, and then polishing the surface with brushes. It was a very slow and laborious process, as each tessera had to be cleaned individually (Fig. 53; Pl. 3). While working on the soffit of one of the arches in the central bay of the south gallery in 1937, the conservators experimented with 37 W. J. Gregory, observation book, 1934. 45 Specimen of a cramp used by Byzantine Institute conservators to consolidate the mosaics (photo: P. Iskender, Byzantine Institute, ca. 1933)
46 47 Apse, consolidating the Virgin enthroned with Christ child After metal cramps were inserted, a temporary wooden strut was fixed to press the plaster against the wall. (photo: Byzantine Institute) Uncovering the apse mosaic Whittemore (fourth from the left) and a group of conservators at work atop the scaffolding (photo: P. Iskender, Byzantine Institute, ca. 1936) 45
Page 1 and 2: Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul:
Page 3 and 4: © 1998 Dumbarton Oaks Trustees for
Page 5 and 6: Acknowledgments The catalogue and e
Page 7 and 8: Thomas Whittemore (photo: Maurice S
Page 9 and 10: mately, the Fossatis’ studies wou
Page 11: 7 5 6 (above) General view of Hagia
Page 14 and 15: 9 10 (right) Inner narthex, looking
Page 16 and 17: 13 Detail, the dome Each rib of the
Page 18 and 19: Aya Sofia reveal a radical change i
Page 20 and 21: 16 20 Detail, south vestibule, lune
Page 22 and 23: 19 22 Central nave after the Fossat
Page 24 and 25: 21 24 Fossati patterns in the apse
Page 26 and 27: 23 24 Lunette and barrel vault over
Page 28 and 29: Diagram of the mosaics in the south
Page 30 and 31: 30 28 North tympanum, lunette, St.
Page 32 and 33: 30 sion Hagia Sophia was closed for
Page 34 and 35: on the conservation of the mosaics,
Page 36 and 37: Besides data on conservation, the d
Page 38 and 39: during the search for the figural p
Page 40 and 41: 36 Apse conch and bema vault The ce
Page 42 and 43: 39 South gallery, testing of the mo
Page 46 and 47: 48 Gridding the apse mosaic During
Page 48 and 49: 50 48 Central nave, looking east To
Page 50 and 51: 50 52 53 South gallery, Emperor Joh
Page 52 and 53: 52 55 56 South gallery, the Deesis
Page 54 and 55: 54 58 59 The Deesis The panel repre
Page 56 and 57: 61 bed, had a more detailed paintin
Page 58 and 59: 63 Conservator’s notebook entry I
Page 60 and 61: In the central lunette in the inner
Page 64 and 65: 67 Central nave in the morning, loo
Page 66 and 67: The first step in making copies was
Page 68 and 69: apse and three letters from the ins
Page 71: Plate 2 Tracing of a Latin cross Gr
Page 75: Plate 4 Reproduction of St. Ignatio

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