Conserving Maxo Vanka’s Murals

Vanka’s bold murals face age and conditions that naturally occur in an old church atop a hill.

With the support of a Save America’s Treasures Grant awarded by the Institute of Museum & Library Services in partnership with the National Park Service and with additional funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the conservation of the Vanka Murals is progressing at an unprecedented pace.  The scaffolding came down at the end of September 2024 revealing new views of Vanka’s breathtaking Transcendent Vision complimenting the stunning results of the first session in 2023.

Scaffolding returned to the Sanctuary in January to complete the work on the Old Testatment Wall and the murals of St. Matthew and St. Mark. Our team of experts: Ana Alba, Patty Buss, Cindy Fiorini, Rikke Foulke, Cricket Harbeck, Jessica Keister, Naomi Ruiz (2023 Kress Conservation Fellow), Patty Huss West, Mary Wilcop, and Rhonda Wozniak. Conservation technicians: Christina Cichra, Angelica Marks, Celeste Parrendo, and Kate Pirilla. Conservation Interns: Erin McChesney (2024) and Mercedes Hillington (2025).

Meet the Conservators.

Maxo Vanka’s murals have won the Save America’s Treasures grant

As of September 2024,
18 murals have been conserved.

Pieta Mural

2010: Pieta

MATI 1941

2011: Mati 1941

Croatian Mother Raises Her Son for War Mural

2011: Croatian Mother Raises her Son for War

Immigrant Mother Gives Her Sons for American Industry

2013: Immigrant Mother Raises her Sons for American Industry

INJUSTICE

2013: Injustice

Simple Family Meal mural

2013: Simple Family Meal

JUSTICE

2014: Justice

Crucifixion Mural

2014: Crucifixion

PRUDENCE

2015: Prudence

The Capitalist Mural

2015: The Capitalist

Christ on the Battlefield Mural

2017: Christ on the Battlefield

Mary on the Battlefield Mural

2018: Mary on the Battlefield

Conservation of the Battlefield Scenes made by possible by: Snee Reinhardt Charitable
Foundation, Opportunity Fund and many generous individuals during the 2016 Pittsburgh Gives
Day of Giving.

ST. FRANCIS

2022: St. Francis and St. Clare

Conservation of St. Francis and St. Clare was completed in partnership with the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area. Funding was provided in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation. We're also grateful for the support of: Julia Bubanovich, Christie Clayton and Michael Burkitt, Marya and John Halderman, Janet Kafka, John A. Martine, Melissa McSwigan and Robert Raczka, Jennifer Novotny Mulrooney, Rita Perstac, Julia Royall, and Barb Spelic.

2023: Phase I - Save America's Treasures

St. John Mural

2023: St John

St. Luke

2023: St Luke

2023 - Kress Conservation Fellowship - Vanka Murals & Carnegie Museum of Art

The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka and the Carnegie Museum of Art partnered to provide a Kress Conservation Fellowship in 2023-2024. Naomi Ruiz completed the year-long fellowship splitting her time between conservation of the Vanka Murals and the Carnegie's conservation department in September 2024. She is continuing her work with both the Vanka Murals and the CMOA.

New Testament Wall

2023: New Testament Wall

Two people look up at the newly restored ceiling murals of St Nicholas Church,

2024: Transcendent Vision

In Process – 2025

Old Testament Wall

A view of Vanka's Old Testament mural from the choir loft. Moses stands receiving the Ten Commandments from the hand of God. To the right of a stained-glass window, Aaron directs a bolt of lightning that demolishes the Golden Calf.
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