The paintings are frescoes, and with a little attention you can make out the “giornate”, the daily patches of fresh plaster typical of fresco painting. The painter’s hand is remarkably assured: while what makes these paintings special is the kind of representation, which blends the techniques of European painting with the wonderful Japanese tradition, the mark left by Lucas’s brush is unmistakably his own.
The confident brushstrokes reveal the great mastery of the artist, in whom ancient tradition blends perfectly with contemporary representation.
These are certainly not the usual paintings found in modern or contemporary churches, even good ones, but a work whose high artistic value matches its historical value.
The chapels are painted in tempera and are perhaps less striking for this reason, but they too show such distinctive ideas as to make them extremely interesting.
The vault of the nave, painted in a simpler style, also creates a perfect frame for the paintings below, so there is no need to regret that the plan to complete the church’s decoration through Hasegawa’s pupils never came to be. A posthumous tribute to the artist, however moving, could have spoiled a whole that is entirely his own work, with no additions or interpretations.
THE RESTORATION
STATE OF CONSERVATION
- The five scenes show many detachments of the fine plaster layer (intonachino), and those in the two scenes on the right are particularly serious: the painted surface is almost completely detached. These detachments, which seem to involve only the fine plaster layer, can be mapped more precisely with a close-up survey. The painted surface is covered by layers of dirt. Further investigations may reveal powdering and flaking of the paint layer;
- The vault shows large cracks which, according to the accounts gathered, appear to be very old and stable. Observing from such a distance, of course, does not allow smaller cracks to be identified, and these are probably present across the whole surface;
- The six small chapels have painted back walls, including the architectural elements. Unlike the apse, they are in tempera; only one probably has some areas in fresco. Problems with the adhesion of the plaster are very evident in the first two chapels on the right. On this side the church faces the sea, which has certainly encouraged the deterioration of the plaster. The other chapels show small losses of colour in their lower parts, visibly retouched in earlier conservation work, perhaps with materials that were not entirely suitable.
THE WORK
The plan is to apply a supporting and protective facing to the parts at risk of falling, in order to hold the plaster during the consolidation work.
Once the supporting facing has been removed, adhesion between the wall and the painted plaster will be restored by injecting filling adhesives, and the cracks will be filled.
CLEANING
Removal of surface deposits such as settled dust, altered fixatives and other substances lying over the painting. Filling of cracks, fractures and losses in the plaster layers, followed by cleaning and colour revision of the edges. Mimetic reintegration of the filled gaps in watercolour, flush with the surface.
FUNDRAISING FOR THE RESTORATION
We believe that the work of Lucas Ryuzo Hasegawa, besides being a testimony of deep faith and spirituality, is unique in the panorama of religious iconography and a treasure for the city of Civitavecchia. As the association that conceived and promotes the Way of Hasekura, and recognising the historical roots from which it all began, we feel we must do our part: this is why we support the fundraising for the restoration of the frescoes of the Church of the Holy Japanese Martyrs in Largo San Francesco d’Assisi.
The parish has opened a bank account, and anyone who wishes to contribute can send a bank transfer to:
Parrocchia Santi Martiri Giapponesi
IBAN IT43 P020 0839 0430 0000 3911 104
Payment reference: Restauro affreschi chiesa Ss. Martiri Giapponesi
