The conservation of the mural “epidermis” of historical monuments. Methodological benchmarks

The methodological benchmarks dedicated to the epidermis of the historical monuments commented in this introductory text represents the contracted form of the good practice guide for the conservation-restoration of mural paintings made in the context of the sectorial research project named “Innovative methods and techniques for the evaluation of conservation-restoration interventions and the tracking of the state of conservation of traditional buildings in Romania”, which unfolded in 2019-2020. The epidermis of the historical monuments needs to be understood in its wider acceptance, from façade renderings to complex mural decorations and the great iconographic ensembles. This extremely nuanced identification of the field pursues the recuperation, as much as possible, of a historical monument in its authenticity, therefore in its organic unity where each element which defines its image and structure is treated in an egalitarian manner. Remaining within the sphere of generality, the article succinctly presents the principles which govern the interventions on the architectural surfaces, finally proposing the methodological stages of the conservation restoration process.