The Finding of the Hidden Fresco in San Biagio del Carmine Church and its Restoration

Transcription

1 The Finding of the Hidden Fresco in San Biagio del Carmine Church and its Restoration Laura AMADEI (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia) Aurélie AVENEL (Créteil Paris-Est University) Caroline AVRIL (Marne la Vallée Paris-Est University) Cătălin CRISTESCU ( Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca) Steven MAUGET ( Reims Champagne-Ardennes University) Andrea AVETTA (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia) MODENA 21 OF JANUARY 2011

2 San Biaggio del Carmine

3 Restorations and maintenance roof wall paintings Crucifix altar table pavement humidity control system electric system audio system pillars on the west side 1836 The Archaeology of a fresco In 1999 began the restauration works on the XIVth century Annunciazione fresco, believed to be decorating the frame of a gothic arch door. This fresco was protected in order to start the consolidation of the wall

4 Don Giovanni Gherardi

5 Virgin with the Child, Saint Martin and a bidder ( ) Unknown modenese painter

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7 Carmelite friar Tommaso da Modena, Madonna del latte, Saint Biagio's Church, XIV th Century Modena

8 DEVOTIONAL DESTINATION OF THE PAINTING Probably part of a funerary context Sarcophagi with frescoes, Salerno Cathedral, XIV th Century AD

9 WALL (made of bricks, stones or both) ARRICCIO (coarse mortar) INTONACHINO (fine sand in the mortar) CARBONATION (Long lasting chemical reaction) Ca(OH) 2 + CO 2 CaCO 3 + H 2 O

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11 ANALYTIC STUDIES XRD μ-raman SPECTROSCOPY SEM-EDS UV REFLECTOGRAPHY FINDING OUT THE PAINTING TECHNIQUE KIND OF LIGANT AND PIGMENTS MOISTURE CAPILLARY GROWTH IR THERMOGRAPHY TO RECONSTRUCT THE HISTORY OPERA TO DRIVE THE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION WORKS

12 XRD Plaster Salts on the surface Efflorescence Availability of more quantity of sample RESULT: PLASTER is made of Calcite and Quartz SALTS Gypsum CaSO 4 H 2 O EFFLORESCENCE Sodium sulphate Na 2 SO 4 Sodium and potassium carbonate (Na, K)CO 3 Ammonium and calcium sulphate ((NH 4 ) 2 Ca) (SO 4 ) 2

13 μ-raman SEM-EDS Identification of RESULT: LIGHT BLUE: AZZURRITE BLACK: CARBON BLACK and MAGNETITE RED: HEMATITE GREEN: GREEN EARTH ORANGE : EMATITE and GOETHITE CALCITE SAMPLE SB1 SB2 SB3 SB4 SB5 SB6 SB7 SB8 SB9 SB10 SB11 SB12 μ-raman Ca, (C) Go, Ca, He, (Mg), (Qz) Az, F, (Gy) Az, (He), (Mg) Ca, Gy, Qz, C C He, C TV, Ca, He, (Go) Ca, (He), (Mg),(C) He, (Mg), Ca, Go Ca, Qz, C He, (Mg), Ca Az= AZZURITE, C= CARBON, Mg= MAGNETITE, HE=HEMATITE, TV=GREEN EARTH, He=EMATITE, Go=GOETHITE, Ca=CALCITE SAMPLE SEM-EDS SB1 - SB2 C, Fe SB3 Cu, Fe, (S) SB4 Cu SB5 Fe, Si SB6 C SB7 Fe, Al SB8 FE, Mg, K, Cl SB9 Ca SB10 Fe SB11 Cu SB12 Fe, S

14 UV- REFLECTOGRAPHY Fluorescence for identification of organic binder RESULT Pinkish fluorescence of incarnate VIS light UV light

15 IR-THERMOGRAPHY moisture capillary growth The temperature of wall surface indicates the level of damp present RESULT : The moisture goes up as far as half of the niche hight and evenly for all the widthwise

16 ANALYSIS OVERVIEW The opera is a mural painting that it was made with lime-based technique The pigments used are not very valuable Problems of rising damp

17 BEFORE THE RESTORATION Preliminary consolidation process of the fresco s wall Using an electroosmotic dehumidification equipment

18 QUITE LONG LASTING PERIOD follow the best methodology as possible FIRST DIFFICULTY copper based pigments are present in the painting : avoiding the use of basic solutions and ammonium salts cleaning system (common cleaning operation)

19 RESTORATION INTERVENTION Removal of the salt efflorescences visible on the plaster Desulfuration treatment Repetition of this operation Injection of ethile-silicate resine and consolidant mortars Any kind of protective layer on the surface of the painting

20 BEFORE/AFTER RESTORATION

21 DETERIORATION PATTERNS: The upper part : well-preserved Readable Several decays : Cracks Detachment Features induced by material loss Or discoloration The lower part : completely disappeared

22 THE LOWER PART Fresco disappeared because of capillary rising inside the wall Bricks and mortar are now visible

23 THE UPPER PART

24 DECAY DUE TO SALT Before restoration After restoration

25 DISCOLORATION: «Peeling» Patina? Discoloration

26 Hair Cracks

27 DETACHMENT : PEELING OR SCALING

28 CONCLUSIONS Environmental factors: The demolition of the wall changed the fresco s exposure conditions and made it much vulnerable to weathering, thermic and humidity variations Anthropic factors: the restoration funds, period and methodology Inner factors: age behaviour of the materials used Danger of disappearance

29 Suggestions for protecting the fresco Temporary conservation: covering the fresco with a transparent material Monitoring: temperature and moisture ( with sensors as VERITEQ ), salts Placing the original indoors Making and exposing a copy of the fresco Madonna del latte, Tommaso da Modena, XIV th century

30 BIBLIOGRAPHY F.Piccinini, V. Gheroldi, R. Bosi, Un dipinto trecentesco ritrovato in san Biagio del Carmine. Modena in «Taccuini d arte, Rivista di Arte e Storia del territorio di Modena e Reggio Emilia», pp.11-43, Grafitalia P. Baraldi, A. Muscio, P. Zannini, Caratterizzazione analitica della pitture murale «Madonna col Bambino, San Martino ed offerente» ritrovata in Modena, Chiostro della Chiesa di San Biagio al Carmine nel 2005, Lavoro ATTI, pdf document.

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