On the history of the study of mural paintings in the churches of The Rostov Metropolitan House

The purpose of this article is to synthesize and enrich existing knowledge on the history of the wall paintings in the three churches of the Rostov Metropolitan House — of the Resurrection of Christ, of St. John the Theologian, and of the Savior 'na Senyakh' — which were built and decorated under the unified vision of their eminent patron, Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich. The discussion traces the history of this unique mural ensemble, examining its phases, the damage and losses sustained in the XVIII – XIX centuries, and the large-scale repainting campaigns of the 1860s, undertaken to reopen the Kremlin churches for worship. It also addresses the restoration efforts carried out under the stewardship of the Rostov Museum, which has been occupying these sacred spaces since the late XIX century. For the first time, archival evidence is introduced concerning the artists who renewed the murals in the 1860s, and the characterization of the Kremlin Commission’s work in documenting restoration activities during the 1880s – 1890s is expanded with new data. This study is part of a research program launched in 2024 to investigate the technical and material characteristics of the Rostov Kremlin mural ensemble. Accordingly, particular attention is given to source-based information on painting techniques and materials, as well as to prior analytical studies, especially the selective chemical analyses of pigments and primers conducted during earlier restoration campaigns in the XX – XXI centuries.