A multidisciplinary research, currently in progress at the University of Salento in collaboration with the Lecce Provincial Museum, interests different artistic expressions widespread in the Salento peninsula (South Italy). In the present study, the characterization of organic and inorganic materials used in the oldest pictorial cycle found in the XII century monastery Santa Maria delle Cerrate was carried out thanks to a multi-analytical approach. Previous investigations have focussed on the problem of dating the frescoes mainly on the basis of the stylistic aspects and the material characterization has been definitely under-investigated. Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques were used: micro-Raman was used for recognizing pigments, laser ablation ICPMS for elemental analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for analyzing organic binders. These techniques enabled us to fully characterize pigments and binders. The presence of both true fresco and tempera bound pigments was assessed. Among the different pigments detected, the results relevant to the blue paints were interesting: two different blue pigments were, indeed, identified, lapislazuli and smaltino (cobalt blue glass) both unexpected. As a result Santa Maria delle Cerrate appears the first known example of their use in south Italy. From a conservation point of view, moreover, the knowledge of the palette permitted to highlight the reason of observed decay of some paints: for instance, lead white was used in some panels, explaining their blackening.
A multi-analytical approach for the characterization of the oldest pictorial cycle in the XII century monastery Santa Maria delle Cerrate
DE BENEDETTO, Giuseppe, Egidio;RIZZO, Daniela;
2010-01-01
Abstract
A multidisciplinary research, currently in progress at the University of Salento in collaboration with the Lecce Provincial Museum, interests different artistic expressions widespread in the Salento peninsula (South Italy). In the present study, the characterization of organic and inorganic materials used in the oldest pictorial cycle found in the XII century monastery Santa Maria delle Cerrate was carried out thanks to a multi-analytical approach. Previous investigations have focussed on the problem of dating the frescoes mainly on the basis of the stylistic aspects and the material characterization has been definitely under-investigated. Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques were used: micro-Raman was used for recognizing pigments, laser ablation ICPMS for elemental analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for analyzing organic binders. These techniques enabled us to fully characterize pigments and binders. The presence of both true fresco and tempera bound pigments was assessed. Among the different pigments detected, the results relevant to the blue paints were interesting: two different blue pigments were, indeed, identified, lapislazuli and smaltino (cobalt blue glass) both unexpected. As a result Santa Maria delle Cerrate appears the first known example of their use in south Italy. From a conservation point of view, moreover, the knowledge of the palette permitted to highlight the reason of observed decay of some paints: for instance, lead white was used in some panels, explaining their blackening.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
