Clay and alunite-rich materials in painting grounds of prominent Italian masters – Caravaggio and Mattia Preti

Hradil, David; Hradilová, Janka; Lanterna, Giancarlo; Galeotti, Monica; Holcová, Katarı́na; Jaques, Victory Armida Janine; Bezdička, Petr

doi:10.1016/j.clay.2019.105412

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The detection of high Pb contents, accompanied by Sb, pointed to possible use of a lead-based pigment, presumably a lead-antimony yellow ("Naples yellow"). The use of such a yellow pigment is in agreement with most used yellow shades in Mattia Preti's palette [8, 10,12]. Furthermore, traces of mercury and sulfur were also detected in S24.…”

Section: Laboratory Epma-eds Resultssupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Orange, yellow-orange, and yellow colors (S3, S7, S13, S24, S26, S27) seem to be obtained by a Pb-based or Pb/Sb-based compounds, i.e., massicot (PbO) or "Naples yellow" (Pb 2 Sb 2 O 7 ), mixed with a Fe-based compound, i.e., yellow ochre (α-FeO(OH)), according to what already reported in [7][8][9][10].…”

Section: In Situ Xrf Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

“…Such considerations, corroborated by the fact tha least, traces of Zn were detected by XRF and EPMA-EDS only in the case of sample lead us to exclude the employment of a modified Ny applied during a possible re intervention. It is worth remarking that according to previously published papers, employment of Ny was already extensively evidenced in other paintings by Mattia P [8, 10,12].…”

Section: Laboratory Micro-raman Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…The EDS elemental analysis performed on green samples (S4, S5, S8, S9) led us to hypothesize a probable use of green earth as a mixture of aluminosilicate minerals (i.e., hydrous alumino-silicate of Mg, Fe and K), where the green color of the clays is caused by the presence of green Fe-containing minerals belonging to the group of clay micas (i.e., celadonite or glauconite) [10]. Obviously, it is evident that EDS results cannot complete the identification of such components and the contribution of vibrational spectroscopy techniques could be crucial for their identification.…”

Section: Laboratory Epma-eds Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Multi-Technique Diagnostic Investigation in View of the Restoration of “The Glory of St. Barbara” Painting by Mattia Preti

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present paper illustrates the results of a diagnostic investigation performed on the oil on canvas painting “The Glory of St. Barbara” (1680–1688) by Mattia Preti. The painting is located inside the St. Barbara Church in Taverna (Catanzaro, Italy), the city that gave birth to the artist. In situ, non-invasive studies, by applying X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, along with laboratory micro-destructive analytical investigations, by employing electron probe microanalyses (EPMA) coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and micro-Raman (µ-Raman) spectroscopy, were combined to retrieve the color palette and identify the painting technique and style of the famous master. As a result of this multi-scale characterization, an extraordinary pictorial technique was revealed, enriching knowledge about one of the oldest pictorial traditions outlined by Mattia Preti, and solving doubts still existing about many of his investigated artworks. Moreover, the achieved results represent useful and essential tools to address management issues of the artwork, by providing valuable information for planning and monitoring future restoration interventions of the canvas.

show abstract

Section: Laboratory Epma-eds Resultssupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: In Situ Xrf Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Laboratory Micro-raman Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Laboratory Epma-eds Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Multi-Technique Diagnostic Investigation in View of the Restoration of “The Glory of St. Barbara” Painting by Mattia Preti

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Their local origin was again confirmed by both mineralogical and paleontological data. [64] Also the ground of one of the latest paintings by Caravaggio created in Malta (Beheading of St. john the Baptist, Valetta Cathedral) differs from all the previous ones. The dominant components in this case are alunite and hematite, and although the source of this material in the Mediterranean is not yet known, it again represents a very specific composition [64].…”

Section: From Pottery To Paintingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Clay Minerals in European Painting of the Mediaeval and Baroque Periods

2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Clay-based pigments are among the most traditional. Unlike other mineral pigments, they have never been fully replaced by synthetic analogues and are still used in painting today. Since their analysis requires a specific approach, detailed distinction of clay pigments has never been a part of routine chemical-technological research in fine arts—regardless of a great potential of clay minerals for determining regional provenance of the material. This review article maps and summarizes research on clay pigments in historical paintings that has been systematically pursued by authors since the beginning of this millennium. This rallying and interconnection of knowledge was an opportunity for a new reflection on the common aspects of these research projects, either methodological or interdisciplinary, since these findings are closely related to art-historical evaluation of artworks. It offers a comprehensive insight into the microanalysis of clay pigments with using powder X-ray micro-diffraction and complementary methods. Significant new findings come, for example, from research on the Italian Baroque. It becomes clear that cheap availability of raw material, pottery clays, could have played an important role in the change in painting technology at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.

show abstract

Multitechnique diagnostic analysis and 3D surveying prior to the restoration of St. Michael defeating Evil painting by Mattia Preti

D’Amico

Comite

Paladini

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, a multi-methodological analysis involving optical and physical/chemical diagnostic techniques and 3D photogrammetric survey was successfully applied, for the first time, on the large St. Michael defeating Evil painting by Mattia Preti, located inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Sarria (Floriana) in Malta.Pigmenting agents, binder media and raw materials were first characterized, both at elemental and molecular scales, through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), optical stereo microscopy (SM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main goal was to properly identify the execution technique of this famous painter, the pigment s palette and possible nondocumented interventions. The 3D photogrammetric survey, on the other side, allowed us to non-invasively evaluate the extension of the areas that experienced restorations, and to properly map the domains of the different canvases observed. The joints between canvases suggested that the painting was folded and rolled up. In addition, the employment of a thermal camera gave evidence of the different consolidating material injection points used during the restoration to strengthen the painting. The obtained results offer useful information for the development of optimized restoration and conservation strategies to be applied and provide, at the same time, answers to open questions related to provenance and dating of the investigated artwork.

show abstract

Clay and alunite-rich materials in painting grounds of prominent Italian masters – Caravaggio and Mattia Preti

Cited by 11 publications

References 18 publications

Multi-Technique Diagnostic Investigation in View of the Restoration of “The Glory of St. Barbara” Painting by Mattia Preti

Multi-Technique Diagnostic Investigation in View of the Restoration of “The Glory of St. Barbara” Painting by Mattia Preti

Clay Minerals in European Painting of the Mediaeval and Baroque Periods

Multitechnique diagnostic analysis and 3D surveying prior to the restoration of St. Michael defeating Evil painting by Mattia Preti

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About