Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti
As part of the study project of the pictorial cycle, attributed to Saturnino Gatti, in the church of San Panfilo at Villagrande di Tornimparte (AQ), image analyses were performed in order to document the general conservation conditions of the surfaces, and to map the different painting materials to...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6842 |
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| author | Letizia Bonizzoni Simone Caglio Anna Galli Luca Lanteri Claudia Pelosi |
| author_facet | Letizia Bonizzoni Simone Caglio Anna Galli Luca Lanteri Claudia Pelosi |
| author_sort | Letizia Bonizzoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As part of the study project of the pictorial cycle, attributed to Saturnino Gatti, in the church of San Panfilo at Villagrande di Tornimparte (AQ), image analyses were performed in order to document the general conservation conditions of the surfaces, and to map the different painting materials to be subsequently examined using spectroscopic techniques. To acquire the images, radiation sources, ranging from ultraviolet to near infrared, were used; analyses of ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), infrared false colors (IRFC), and optical microscopy in visible light (OM) were carried out on all the panels of the mural painting of the apsidal conch. The Hypercolorimetric Multispectral Imaging (HMI) technique was also applied in selected areas of two panels. Due to the accurate calibration system, this technique is able to obtain high-precision colorimetric and reflectance measurements, which can be repeated for proper surface monitoring. The integrated analysis of the different wavelengths’ images—in particular, the ones processed in false colors—made it possible to distinguish the portions affected by retouching or repainting and to recover the legibility of some figures that showed chromatic alterations of the original pictorial layers. The IR reflectography, in addition to highlighting the portions that lost materials and were subject to non-original interventions, emphasized the presence of the underdrawing, which was detected using the <i>spolvero</i> technique. UVF photography led to a preliminary mapping of the organic and inorganic materials that exhibited characteristic induced fluorescence, such as a binder in correspondence with the original azurite painting or the wide use of white zinc in the retouched areas. The collected data made it possible to form a better iconographic interpretation. Moreover, it also enabled us to accurately select the areas to be investigated using spectroscopic analyses, both <i>in situ</i> and on micro-samples, in order to deepen our knowledge of the techniques used by the artist to create the original painting, and to detect subsequent interventions. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:10:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf4a6051c5e54c05b62746f1bc0254032023-11-18T07:37:27ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-06-011311684210.3390/app13116842Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino GattiLetizia Bonizzoni0Simone Caglio1Anna Galli2Luca Lanteri3Claudia Pelosi4Department of Physics Aldo Pontremoli, University of Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria, 16, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Material Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Material Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, ItalyDepartment DEIM, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università, 01100 Viterbo, ItalyDepartment DEIM, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università, 01100 Viterbo, ItalyAs part of the study project of the pictorial cycle, attributed to Saturnino Gatti, in the church of San Panfilo at Villagrande di Tornimparte (AQ), image analyses were performed in order to document the general conservation conditions of the surfaces, and to map the different painting materials to be subsequently examined using spectroscopic techniques. To acquire the images, radiation sources, ranging from ultraviolet to near infrared, were used; analyses of ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), infrared false colors (IRFC), and optical microscopy in visible light (OM) were carried out on all the panels of the mural painting of the apsidal conch. The Hypercolorimetric Multispectral Imaging (HMI) technique was also applied in selected areas of two panels. Due to the accurate calibration system, this technique is able to obtain high-precision colorimetric and reflectance measurements, which can be repeated for proper surface monitoring. The integrated analysis of the different wavelengths’ images—in particular, the ones processed in false colors—made it possible to distinguish the portions affected by retouching or repainting and to recover the legibility of some figures that showed chromatic alterations of the original pictorial layers. The IR reflectography, in addition to highlighting the portions that lost materials and were subject to non-original interventions, emphasized the presence of the underdrawing, which was detected using the <i>spolvero</i> technique. UVF photography led to a preliminary mapping of the organic and inorganic materials that exhibited characteristic induced fluorescence, such as a binder in correspondence with the original azurite painting or the wide use of white zinc in the retouched areas. The collected data made it possible to form a better iconographic interpretation. Moreover, it also enabled us to accurately select the areas to be investigated using spectroscopic analyses, both <i>in situ</i> and on micro-samples, in order to deepen our knowledge of the techniques used by the artist to create the original painting, and to detect subsequent interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6842UV fluorescence (UVF)IR reflectography (IRR)IR false colors (IRFC)hypercolorimetric multispectral imaging (HMI) |
| spellingShingle | Letizia Bonizzoni Simone Caglio Anna Galli Luca Lanteri Claudia Pelosi Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti Applied Sciences UV fluorescence (UVF) IR reflectography (IRR) IR false colors (IRFC) hypercolorimetric multispectral imaging (HMI) |
| title | Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti |
| title_full | Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti |
| title_fullStr | Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti |
| title_full_unstemmed | Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti |
| title_short | Materials and Technique: The First Look at Saturnino Gatti |
| title_sort | materials and technique the first look at saturnino gatti |
| topic | UV fluorescence (UVF) IR reflectography (IRR) IR false colors (IRFC) hypercolorimetric multispectral imaging (HMI) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6842 |
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