Scientists have discovered an unusual mushroom on a 16th-century icon from the Tretyakov Gallery

The staff of the Institute of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted a molecular diagnosis of the Novgorod icon of the XVI century "Deisus of 13 figures", which was subjected to bio-contamination. In the course of the research, it turned out that the cause of the destruction of the tempera surface was a microscopic fungus from the family of Pecicaceae. This was announced on November 24 on the official website of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

Such a habitat is unusual for fungi of this family, which are usually found on decaying foliage, grass, or other natural cellulosic substrates. Scientists have studied the biodegradation potential of this microorganism and developed effective means to protect the icon.

Work began in January 2023. The researchers took 15 microbiological samples from the surface of the icon, isolated clean lines of the microorganism and determined its taxonomic affiliation. The dominant fungus was Iodophanus sp. STG-150, which affected the entire surface of the icon.

To assess its effect on artistic materials, the scientists used models created using the technology of tempera painting. They imitated a board, a floor covering, a layer of soil and paints based on egg tempera, sturgeon glue and protective varnishes. Experiments on the destruction and selection of antiseptics were conducted in collaboration with the N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

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According to Daria Avdanina, head of the Russian Science Foundation project, senior researcher at the Group of Genetic Engineering of Fungi at the Institute of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, egg tempera binder, sturgeon glue and ocher pigment are the most vulnerable to the fungus. At the same time, red, strontian yellow and cobalt-green pigments are less damaged, and zinc whitewash and mixtures with them almost completely block the growth of the microorganism.

Further tests have shown the effectiveness of new biocides — sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds and the H-phosphine analog of aspartate, developed jointly with chemists from the V.E. Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is planned to study the compatibility of these compounds with the painting materials on the models in order to choose the best way to process the icon itself. The approach will not only protect the "Deisus of 13 figures", but also create a basis for the preservation of other works of ancient Russian painting.

Earlier, on August 21, the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that during excavations in Veliky Novgorod, archaeologists discovered a lead seal from the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. It is noted that the find was attributed to the period after 1019. According to the institute, six more similar seals have been found on the territory of Ukraine over the past 20 years.

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