Submerged villages. Recovering wall paintings from the church of Atance (Guadalajara, Spain). Technical study, exhibition, and 3d display

Abstract

The construction of a dam often means losing the heritage of the villages that are caught beneath the rising waters. In the case discussed here, the inhabitants of the village of Atance (Guadalajara, Spain) saved their church and its contents by relocating it to the city of Guadalajara (Spain). The removal of an altarpiece in the church revealed a hidden niche covered in frescos. The niche had been walled up to erect the altarpiece. When the frescos were detached, they were found to have been laid on top of another painting, estimated to be as old as the church itself. We designed a novel system for displaying both sides of the detached frescos (with the impression left by the earlier work), preserving the shape and dimensions of the niche. This structure shows both the original and later paintings, together with the impression left by the original fresco on the back of the later depiction. Using virtual 3D imaging, the structure can now be viewed from all angles.