Oltar sv. Aurelija iz župne crkve Sv. Jurja u Brseču nezaobilazan je primjer drvorezbarstva 17. stoljeća na području Istre i Kvarnera i kao takav je već desetljećima predmet divljenja i proučavanja brojnih stručnjaka, a konzervatorsko-restauratorski zahvati provedeni od 1990. do 2010. godine znatno su pridonijeli sagledavanju njegove kulturno-povijesne i umjetničke vrijednosti. Nalazi unutar relikvijara upotpunjuju spoznaje o običajima štovanja religije u lokalnoj zajedniciThe altar of St. Aurelius in the parish church of St. George the Martyr in Brseč is a compelling example of the high-quality 17th century wood carving in the territory of Istria and Kvarner. It has been admired and studied by numerous experts for decades, and the conservation-restoration interventions undertaken in the period between 1990 and 2010 have undoubtedly provided a significant contribution to the evaluation of its cultural, historical and artistic value.
Analysis of the cross-sections of micro-samples and stratigraphic research probes established that the original historical layer on the altar was well preserved. Therefore, the decision was made to steer the conservation-restoration process in the direction of its presentation. In addition, the conservation-restoration works resulted in the discovery of some new finds: among others, the coat of arms of the Brseč parish priest Grgur Mavrović on the cornice above the altar pala, and a seal containing the bishop’s coat of arms of Count Sigismund Anton von Hohenwart (Hachenwart), on a reliquary. Both of these items provide an insight into the multilayered nature of this artefact and contribute to its better understanding.
The conservation-restoration interventions on the altar consisted of several phases, and they called for the participation of conservator-restorers from various fields of expertise. As such, they are a result of the cooperation of the Croatian Conservation Institute’s Department for Wooden Polychrome Sculpture, Department for Easel Painting, Division for Archaeological Heritage, Department for Textiles and Workshop for Paper and Leather.
In September 2009, the restored altar of St. Aurelius was returned to the parish church of St. George in Brseč and reassembled in its original position.
The conservation-restoration works on the reliquary were completed in 2010, and it was placed in its original location in the church and thus returned to the community that has preserved it as its heritage
