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A multi-technique chemical characterization of a Stradivari decorated violin top plate

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the characterization of the materials of a violin top plate made by Antonio Stradivari (17th century), with different diagnostic techniques and with an integrated and non-destructive analytical methodology to study surface coatings and decorations. The UV-induced visible fluorescence, optical digital microscopy, ED-XRF associated with micro-FTIR spectroscopy analysis, and dendrochronology were performed. The investigations were aimed to identify the presence of original varnish layers and to characterize the composition of the decorations, either the inlaid purflings or the composite false-inlay strip between them. Several results were achieved: (i) evidence of the absence of varnish layers on the surface as a result of extended and inappropriate restoring; (ii) identification of the dye used for the black layers of the purflings; (iii) characterization of the black matrix and the white elements of the decoration. Furthermore, a dendrochronological dating was performed. A copy of the top plate was realized with materials similar to those identified on the Stradivari original; the same analyses performed on the original model were carried out on the same areas of the copy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Fondazione Antonio Stradivari of Cremona for the collaboration and availability to improve this research and to continue the cooperation about the conservation and study of ancient musical instruments, and Arie Germansky for the copy of the Stradivari top plate.

We are very grateful to Charles Beare, the owner of the Antonio Stradivari top plate, for his courtesy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Chimica, Laboratorio Arvedi—CISRiC, Università degli Studi di Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    M. Malagodi

  2. Civica Scuola di Liuteria di Milano, via Noto 4, 20141, Milano, Italy

    C. Canevari

  3. Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria, 16, 20133, Milano, Italy

    L. Bonizzoni

  4. CNR-IFN, piazza L. Da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy

    A. Galli

  5. INFN and Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 53, 20125, Milano, Italy

    A. Galli, F. Maspero & M. Martini

  6. CudaM and Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche e Geotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 53, 20125, Milano, Italy

    F. Maspero & M. Martini

Authors
  1. M. Malagodi
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  2. C. Canevari
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  3. L. Bonizzoni
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  4. A. Galli
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  5. F. Maspero
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  6. M. Martini
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Correspondence to M. Malagodi.

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Malagodi, M., Canevari, C., Bonizzoni, L. et al. A multi-technique chemical characterization of a Stradivari decorated violin top plate. Appl. Phys. A 112, 225–234 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7792-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7792-2

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