Introduction. Étudier et conserver la polychromie antique. Vidéo-microscopie et archéologie de la surface

Abstract

On expose ici la conception d’un volume consacré au devenir matériel de la sculpture dans l’Antiquité, particulièrement aux soins (thérapéia) portés à entretenir l’éclat de la surface des effigies en Grèce ancienne. L’article rappelle l’apport des études en vidéo-microscopie dans une démarche d’archéologie historique de la couleur qui a permis de mettre en évidence des remaniements de surface antiques.

Ancient Restoration in Roman Polychromy: Detecting Aesthetic Changes?

“…In four cases (altar of Apollo, Lycian Apollo, warrior leg and female torso), the application of a white or yellow layer covering the colours of the previous phase could be considered a preparation for the last chromatic phase, covering the previous one and being covered by another layer. A preparatory layer under the superficial finishing is attested also in the female statue of the House of Masks in Delos and the Asclepius in Dresden [9,10]. In three other cases, a coloured layer directly covers the previous one.…”

“…In a few cases, the recolouration is documented. These include: a female statuette of the House of Masks of Delos [9], with drapery painted in pink (madder lake) and later gilded; the torso of Asclepius preserved in Dresden, whose himation is painted in red and repainted in pink (madder lake); the Augustus of Prima Porta, in which the yellow layer covers the blue one on the fringes of the military dress [10]; and seven Roman sarcophagi of a monochromatic phase of lower quality following a polychromatic phase [11]. A slightly different case is offered by the colossal hand found in Aphrodisias [12]: the statue undergoes restoration followed by colouring and gilding, rather than a restoration of the colour.…”

Μελέτη Της Πολυχρωμίας Της Αρχαϊκής Γλυπτικής

“…11 κ.ε.290 Verri 2009a, 2009b: 57-62, 2009c: 1011-21, 2010: 39-54. 291 Carlsberg Glyptotek 2010, 2014 Colour. The polychromy of Greek and Roman sculpture in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.…”