Robert Fuchs, CICS, Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences

Of evil demons and wicked students: Choir-books of the Naumburg cathedral

Eight big choir-books from 1504 were stored in Naumburg cathedral. They were initially made for the chapter of Meißen and given to the chapter of Naumburg 1580. Special book racks had to be made for the huge books (81 x 63 cm, weight 30-40 kg) for their use in the choir of the cathedral. They contain the liturgical chant for the whole year. The chants of feast-days show nicely illustrated paintings made by at least three different painters from an unknown scriptorium. In the lab of our Institute the colour material and painting technique was analysed. Some of the books survived in a bad condition and students made a documentation of all eight books. One of them was then restored as exemplary for the other books. The future handling of these heavy and big books had also to be solved.

The painting research revealed the sublime fantasy of one of the painter. He painted evil demons often hidden in the decoration and designed with blazing colours.

But the decorations also preserve another story of the past. The choirboys eternalised their names by carving them into the paint layers or by inscribing between the chorals. Together with the year these graffiti are a witness of the 17th and 18th centuries.