Il contributo delle indagini ottiche non invasive per la pulitura del statua marmorea di S. Michele Arcangelo di Palazzo Abatellis (Palermo)

Some tests of 3D ultrasonic traveltime tomography on the Eleonora d'Aragona statue (F. Laurana, 1468)

Abstract The use of a non-destructive technique in situ can be a valuable diagnostic tool to support verification of restoration, as well as a monitoring technique in works of art or historical monuments. We present a high resolution 3D ultrasonic tomography to one of the most important statues of the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Abatellis of Palermo, the bust of Eleonora d'Aragona by F. Laurana (1430–1502). This technique allowed to study the structural continuity of the material of the marble. Some tests have been carried out to optimize inversion parameters, such as voxel size and to choose between straight and curved rays. We propose to calculate a minimum lateral resolution using the sa…

INVERSION TESTS ON ULTRASONIC TOMOGRAPHY DATA

3D Ultrasonic Tomography for non-destructive test and for diagnostic study works of art is a rather established methodology. This method allow us to locate, within the volume of work of art, areas of structural non homogeneities, areas of decay, fracture or damaged. This work wants to present some tests carried out to optimize these parameters in order to obtain a better anomaly image resolution for the case history presented. The optimization of these parameters allows locating structural non homogeneity areas, fractures or damages, within the volume, according to shape and type of the investigated anomalies.

Il cammino del sole, gli spazi del giorno. Piano urbanistico del comune di Grammichele (CT) su lastra di ardesia dipinta

Spettrofotometria per il monitoraggio degli interventi di restauro: valutazione tramite PCA

La realizzazione di indagini spettrofotometriche per il monitoraggio delle variazioni cromatiche pone la necessità di gestire un elevato numero di dati richiedendo l’utilizzo di analisi statistiche. A tale scopo, la PCA è stata applicata a dati spettrofotometrici relativi a diverse tipologie di superfici (musive, marmoree, etc). Tale metodologia permette di valutare in maniera efficace gli effetti generati a seguito del restau;ro, evidenziando la correlazione tra tutte variabili spettrofotometriche. La distribuzione in cluster dei dati consente di visualizzare la variabile che maggiormente contribuisce allo spostamento cromatico, permettendo il monitoraggio differenziato del comportamento d…

Prime evidenze degli effetti delle nuove coperture sul microclima della Villa romana del Casale

In September 2011 has started a new in situ microclimatic monitoring to detect the environmental conditions created by the new covering system of the Villa del Casale di Piazza Armerina (Sicily). The investigation regards sample room, on which the new covering system has been completed, and rooms that still are covered by the methacrylate old system, realized in the 60s, and so many times modified in the following decades. The comparison between the environmental parameters related to the existing covering system that, such as is demonstrated by the previous survey, causes undesired effect both for fruition and for conservation, and the data related to the new covering system, allow to veri…

How Many Secret Details Could a Systematic Multi-Analytical Study Reveal About the Mysterious Fresco Trionfo della Morte?

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Analisi statistica tramite PCA su dati colorimetrici di tessere musive pavimentali

Indagini ottiche non invasive per la valutazione dell’efficacia dell’intervento di pulitura della statua marmorea di San Michele Arcangelo di Palazzo Abatellis (Palermo)

Studio diagnostico sul soffitto ligneo dipinto della cattedrale di Nicosia (EN)

Indagini colorimetriche su un ciclo di otto dipinti raffiguranti Storie della Vergine

Correlazioni tra le velocità ultrasoniche e le caratteristiche petrografiche in ceramiche archeologiche: un primo approccio metodologico

L’analisi delle velocità degli ultrasuoni permette di investigare i caratteri tessiturali e strutturali e di individuare la presenza di eventuali difetti localizzati all’interno del campione. La loro diffusione negli studi archeometrici è legata alla non distruttività e alla possibilità di fornire risultati accurati in tempo reale. In questo lavoro sono state effettuate numerose analisi petrografiche in sezione sottile e misure di velocità di propagazione degli ultrasuoni su reperti ceramici di interesse archeologico. In particolare sono stati selezionati ed analizzati ceramiche preistoriche ed anfore da trasporto del V-IV sec. a.C., caratterizzati da differente granulometria, composizione …

Indagini multispettrali su due dipinti di Antonello da Messina

Indagini geofisiche integrate eseguite a Palazzo Branciforte

Indagini geofisiche integrate eseguite al Castello di Zena (PC) per lo studio delle fondazioni

Indagini multispettrali e termografiche nelle Terme della Rotonda

Datazione di materiali lapidei

XRF ANALYSES ON MOSAIC TESSERAE OF THE PALATINE CHAPEL OF PALERMO

Ulteriori valutazioni sull’impiego della Principal Component Analysis su dati colorimetrici di tessere musive pavimentali

Integrated geochemical and geophysical surveys for a study of sea-water intrusion

Ultrasonic tomographic analysis for getting information on the mechanical structure of ceramic tiles

Surface and volume non-invasive methods for the structural monitoring of the bass-relief ‘Madonna con Bambino’ (Gorizia, Northern Italy)

Structural analysis of marble statues, carried out by non-invasive and in situ methods, is crucial to define the state of conservation of the artworks and to identify the deterioration phenomena that can affect them. In this work, we combined in situ non-destructive techniques, ultrasonic tomography (US), ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence (UV-IF) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to study the bass-relief ‘Madonna con Bambino’ (Gorizia, Italy). The US revealed the presence of some metallic pivots, associated with areas of high sound velocity; moreover, a more degraded area has been identified in the lower part of the bass-relief. The acquired UV-IF image confirmed the presence of surface d…

The Contribution of Microchemical Analyses and Diagnostic Imaging to the Conservation and Identification of the Degraded Surfaces of Hellenistic-Roman Wall Paintings from Solunto (Sicily)

The Archaeological Museum of Palermo (Sicily) has recently presented the results of the restoration of three wall paintings from the House of the Masks of Solunto archaeological site. These significant paintings, dating back to the first century BCE, are the most significant examples of Pompeian style discovered in Sicily to date. The cycle of frescoes unearthed is the best preserved and most complete example of wall painting dating to the Republican Roman period in Sicily. This house was a luxurious private residence built on two floors and centred around a peristyle. This fresco cycle embellished the walls of a banquet room (oecus) discovered during an archaeological excavation carried ou…

L’analisi colorimetrica a supporto dell’intervento di restauro sui mosaici della Villa romana del casale di Piazza Armerina

Il contributo delle indagini colorimetriche per la conservazione programmata dei mosaici della villa romana del casale di Piazza Armerina (Enna)

Integrated three-dimensional models for noninvasive monitoring and valorization of the Morgantina silver treasure (Sicily)

The Morgantina silver treasure belonging to the Archaeological Museum of Aidone (Sicily) was involved in a three-dimensional (3-D) survey and diagnostics campaign for monitoring the collection over time in anticipation of their temporary transfer to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for a period of 4 years. Using a multidisciplinary approach, a scientific and methodological protocol based on noninvasive techniques to achieve a complete and integrated knowledge of the precious items and their conservation state, as well as to increase their valorization, has been developed. All acquired data, i.e., 3-D models, ultraviolet fluorescence, x-ray images, and chemical information, will be…

Resolution in wave-field tomographic approach

Datazione di materiali ceramici e lapidei

Caratterizzazione e monitoraggio di acquiferi costieri: Studio di un sito ad elevata vulnerabilità all'intrusione marina

Archaeometric Study of Two Tanagra Type Statuettes of Unknown Provenance to Support Forensic Study

This paper is concerned with a morphological-stylistic and archaeometric study of two small pottery statues, confiscated by the Cosenza Carabinieri Unit for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and Anti-Counterfeiting (Calabria, Italy). The research aimed to establish the authenticity of the artworks and to verify a possible origin from the same workshop manufacturing, by providing indications about the textural features and raw materials used for their production. For these purposes, the analytical approach involved the use of minero-petrographic and physical analysis, as follows: petrographic analysis (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermoluminescence tests (TL). The preliminary observat…

Indagini 3D di dettaglio per l’analisi dell’integrità del busto di Eleonora d’Aragona (F. Laurana, 1468

Preliminary Study of the Mural Paintings of Sotterra Church in Paola (Cosenza, Italy)

A multi-analytical approach was employed to study wall paintings located in the Sotterra church at Paola, in the province of Cosenza, Italy. The site is an underground church (hence the name of Sotterra, which means “under the earth”) rediscovered in the second half of the 19th century, during the building works of the Madonna del Carmine church on the same area. This underground church preserves valuable mural paintings having different styles. The construction’s dating and overlapped modifications made until the site was abandoned is also debated. A wall painting, depicting “The Virgin” as part of the “Annunciation and the Archangel Gabriel” prese…

Indagine diagnostica non invasiva sul dipinto su tavola l'Annunciata di Antonello da Messina

Le indagini diagnostiche non distruttive e la fruizione delle opere d’arte

Innovative and Integrated Strategies: Case Studies

In this chapter, case studies related to biodeterioration, bioaerosol, biocide and biocleaning are reported. The aim is highlighting the role of biology and biotechnology tools for the preventive conservation of organic and inorganic artifacts, understanding how traditional as well as innovative methods can help the conservationists to develop integrated strategies considering works of art/environment/ humans as a dynamic system. Particularly, based on the experience acquired during the researches of Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology for Cultural Heritage (LaBBCH), the authors suggest several approaches to reveal and identify biological systems able to induce biodeterioration of cultu…

From Geophysics to Microgeophysics for Engineering and Cultural Heritage

The methodologies of microgeophysics have been derived from the geophysical ones, for the sake of solving specific diagnostic and/or monitoring problems regarding civil engineering and cultural heritage studies. Generally, the investigations are carried out using different 2D and 3D tomographic approaches as well as different energy sources: sonic and ultrasonic waves, electromagnetic (inductive and impulsive) sources, electric potential fields, and infrared emission. Many efforts have been made to modify instruments and procedures in order to improve the resolution of the surveys as well as to significantly reduce the time of the measurements without any loss of information. This last poin…

I mosaici della Villa Romana del Casale di Piazza Armerina: il contributo delle indagini colorimetriche per la stesura del protocollo di intervento

A Combined Non-Destructive and Micro-Destructive Approach to Solving the Forensic Problems in the Field of Cultural Heritage: Two Case Studies

The present paper discusses the importance of non-destructive and micro-destructive technology in forensic investigations in the field of cultural heritage. Recent technological developments and the wide availability of modern analytical instrumentation are creating new possibilities for performing scientific measurements and acquiring data directly on-site—thereby limiting, where possible, sampling activity—as well as learning about the technologies and materials that were employed in the past to create cultural assets. Information on periods, chemical composition, manufacturing techniques, etc., can be gathered more easily. Overall, the benefits of on-site forensic investigations are mult…

Mosaic floors of roman Villa del Casale: Principal component analysis on spectrophotometric and colorimetric data

Abstract Spectrophotometric and colorimetric data obtained during a measurement campaign aimed at supporting the Roman "Villa del Casale" (Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy) conservation activities, are presented. Special attention was paid to the possible variation of the chromatic coordinates, possibly due to the interventions of cleaning, consolidation, and protection. Data have been analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) statistical technique, with the attempt to investigate its role in data variability reduction and verify its effectiveness in interpreting the phenomena occurring on the mosaic surface of the Villa, through grouping the observations into homogenous clusters. Ef…

Investigations on standard pigments with multispectral and XRF analysis

Spectrophotometric investigations at the museum: monitoring of colour changes during differentiated cleaning of the marble statues

The spectrophotometric investigations carried out during the cleaning treatments on the marble surface provide an useful support for choosing the best method to employ by monitoring, before and after the tests, both the chromatic coordinates and the spectral reflectance. Moreover, the colorimetric measurements allow us to evaluate the goodness of the chromatic level and the uniformity of the cleaned areas. The Laboratory of Physics and Indoor Environment of the Regional Center for Planning and Restoration has carried out the spectrophotometric investigations on the marble statues belonging to the Renaissance statuary collection of the Regional Gallery of Sicily Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo …

Can be GPR technique useful for strength characterization of concrete?

The possibility of material characterization through the GPR measurements, taking into account the integration with the ultrasonic technique, has been studied and possible relationships between the permittivity of materials and their bulk density are discussed. We present here two different approaches. The first one describes an attempt to correlate the mechanical strength of concrete (as well the ultrasonic velocity) with the permittivity of the material. A series of samples of concrete, characterized by different material properties, were used for georadar and ultrasonic measures, seeking correlations among experimental data. The second approach illustrates the comparison between GPR and …

La GTT, metodologia non invasiva per caratterizzare lo strato esterno degradato dei manufatti lapidei

In questo lavoro viene descritta una metodologia non invasiva ne, tanto meno, distruttiva per studiare il degrado degli strati superficiali dei manufatti lapidei, correlandolo ai parametri di resistenza meccanica. La metodologia adopera come strumento diagnostico la propagazione delle onde elastiche nel mezzo in esame. In particolare, considerando che l'ordine di grandezza degli spessori ricercati è compreso tra le frazioni di millimetro e pochi centimetri, le frequenze delle onde elastiche utilizzabili sono quelle ultrasoniche, dalle decine di kHz ai MHz (e quindi, con velocità di propagazione dell'ordine di 4000 m/s, con lunghezze d'onda dai centimetri alle frazioni di millimetro). Questa…

Gilding and pigments of Renaissance marble of Abatellis Palace: non-invasive investigation by XRF spectrometry

Most of the artworks constituting the collection of Renaissance statuary of Abatellis Palace in Palermo (Sicily) show evidence of colour layers and fragments of gold foil that probably once covered the whole marble surface. The restoration of some of these statues has allowed to carry out archaeometric studies about the painting technique and to highlight the original materials and inclusion present on the precious marbles by two famous Italian sculptors of the Renaissance, Francesco Laurana and Antonello Gagini. The measurements have been performed in situ through the integrated use of two non-invasive techniques: visible fluorescence stimulated by ultraviolet light and X-ray fluorescence.…

Monitoring of the decorative ornaments of the roman villa del casale at Piazza Armerina (Enna)

Indagini diagnostiche non invasive sui dipinti murali della Villa Romana del Casale di Piazza Armerina

Decay assessment of stone-built cultural heritage: The case study of the cosenza cathedral façade (south calabria, italy)

This study aims to assess the different decay phenomena affecting the Cosenza Cathedral façade (Calabria, South Italy) through the evaluation of the relative damage indices. For this goal, a multidisciplinary approach was applied exploiting both nondestructive and microdestructive techniques. Such a combination enabled proposing an intervention priority scale that can be helpful to institutions when planning a prompt restoration intervention. The results suggest the efficiency of this approach to obtain a multidisciplinary diagnostic and conservation system for the management and valorization of the Cultural Heritage also in terms of monitoring, maintenance, and selection of the most suitab…

Indagini geofisiche a supporto dell’intervento di restauro di Palazzo Branciforte (Palermo)

Archaeometric characterization and 3D survey: new perspectives for monitoring and valorization of Morgantina silver Treasure (Sicily)

The Morgantina silver Treasure belonging to the collections of the Archaeological Museum of Aidone (Sicily) were involved in a 3D survey and diagnostics campaign for monitoring over time of the finds, in anticipation of their temporary transfer to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, for a period of four years. According to a multidisciplinary approach, it has been developed a scientific and methodological protocol based on non-invasive techniques to achieve a complete and integrated knowledge of the precious items, of their conservation state and increasing their valorisation. All acquired data, i.e. 3D models, UV fluorescence and X-Ray images and chemical information, will be made …