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Holographic Interferometry (HI), Infrared Vision and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy for the assessment of painted wooden statues: a new integrated approach

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Abstract

Wood has been routinely employed in decorative arts, as well as in sculptures and paintings (support) during the Middle Ages, because of its unique aesthetic virtues. It may safely be assumed that wood, as a material for monumental sculpture, was much more commonly employed in the mediaeval period than existing examples would seem to indicate (Bulletin of the metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013). Wood is easily obtainable; it could be carved and put in place with less difficulty than stone, it is chemically stable when dry, and its surface offers a compatible substrate for paint application. However, the use of wood is not without pitfalls, and requires an understanding of its anisotropic and hygroscopic nature. It is also dimensionally unstable and subject to deterioration by fungi and insects. Moisture-related dimensional changes are certainly among the most challenging problems in painting conservation. With the purpose of preventing important damages, the use of non-or microdestructive testing (NDT) techniques is undoubtedly of paramount interest for painted wooden statues of great value. This work has a threefold purpose: (1) to validate the effectiveness of an integrated approach using near-infrared (NIR) reflectography, square pulse thermography (SPT), and holographic interferometry (HI) techniques for discovering old repairs and/or inclusions of foreign materials in a wooden structure, (2) to confirm and approximately date the restoration carried out by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) (that is assembled with a scanning electron microscopy—SEM) techniques, and (3) to combine into a multidisciplinary approach two quantitative NDT results coming from optical and thermographic methods. The subject of the present study was a statue named “Virgin with her Child” (XIV century), whose origins are mysterious and not properly documented.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Eng. L. Marchetti—Assistant Chief of Civil Defense with special responsibility for the cultural heritage after the 2009 earthquake (L’Aquila, Italy)—for granting permission to carry out experiments on the “Virgin with her Child” statue, as well as Dr. Lorenzo Arrizza and Dr. Maria Giammatteo of the “Centro di Microscopie” of the University of L’Aquila (Italy) for their kind support during the SEM-EDS and stereomicroscopic image acquisitions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, Las.E.R. Laboratory, University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri 1, Loc. Monteluco di Roio, AQ, 67100, Italy

    Stefano Sfarra, Dario Ambrosini & Domenica Paoletti

  2. Computer Vision and Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laval University, 1065, av. de la Médecine, Quebec City, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Clemente Ibarra-Castanedo & Xavier Maldague

  3. Ars Mensurae, Via Comparini 101, Rome, 00188, Italy

    Stefano Ridolfi

  4. Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio (Coppito 1), Loc. Coppito, AQ, 67100, Italy

    Giorgio Cerichelli

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  1. Stefano Sfarra
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Correspondence to Stefano Sfarra.

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Sfarra, S., Ibarra-Castanedo, C., Ridolfi, S. et al. Holographic Interferometry (HI), Infrared Vision and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy for the assessment of painted wooden statues: a new integrated approach. Appl. Phys. A 115, 1041–1056 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7939-1

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