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In situ non-invasive characterization of pigments and alteration products on the masonry altar of S. Maria ad Undas (Idro, Italy)

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Abstract

A non-invasive characterization study has been performed and here presented for the first time on the masonry altar of S. Maria ad Undas, a parish medieval church on the Idro (Brescia, Italy) lakeshore. The determination of painting materials and of alteration products represent the one of the first steps, together with art history studies, of a wider project aimed to the valorization of the site. Images collected under UV light in fluorescence and reflectance mode provided useful information about the presence of organic residual materials attributable to the application of lost gilding details, while the readability of some particulars was greatly improved with respect to what observable in visible light. Moreover, near infrared (NIR) images led to hypothesize the presence of green earths in green painted areas. Raman and reflectance spectroscopy allowed the identification of the pigments and of several alteration products, such as plattnerite, which derived by the degradation of the lead-based ones, hydromagnesite, gypsum, and niter, as well as of carbon-based depositions.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to Mgr. F. Pellegrini (Diocese of Brescia) for allowing access and carrying out the investigation and to Dr. M. Vallotti (Catholic University of Brescia). Authors are also indebted to Prof. P.P. Lottici (Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, Italy) for providing the Plattnerite standard.

Funding

Authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Madatec srl (Pessano con Bornago, MI, Italy) in the present investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Dorsoduro 3484/d, 30123, Venice, Italy

    Lavinia de Ferri, Francesca Mazzini, Davide Vallotto & Giulio Pojana

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  1. Lavinia de Ferri
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  2. Francesca Mazzini
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  3. Davide Vallotto
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  4. Giulio Pojana
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Correspondence to Giulio Pojana.

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Highlights

• Three never studied painted masonry altars exist in the Brescia province

• A non-invasive characterization of the S. Maria ad Undas altar is presented

• UV and NIR imaging allowed formulating hypothesis on pigment composition

• Raman and FORS data on pigment and alteration phase compositions are stated

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Online resource 1.

S. Maria ad Undas, Idro: a West and South sides; b East side: semicircular apse and bell tower. (GIF 261 kb)

High-resolution image (TIFF 25226 kb)

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S. Maria ad Undas, Idro, inner part: a single nave and transverse arches; b the abse and the altar (JPEG 333 KB)

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S. Maria ad Undas Church 3D rendering (WMV 188104 kb)

Online resource 4.

Masonry altar in the S. Maria ad Undas church, Idro. Detail of the Christogram. (JPEG 1018 kb)

Online resource 5.

S. Maria ad Undas Altar and Saints attributed names. (GIF 333 kb)

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de Ferri, L., Mazzini, F., Vallotto, D. et al. In situ non-invasive characterization of pigments and alteration products on the masonry altar of S. Maria ad Undas (Idro, Italy). Archaeol Anthropol Sci 11, 609–625 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-017-0550-1

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