Analysis of materials during the restoration of Tota Pulchra

Abstract

Tota Pulchra (around 1600), a high quality copy of a painting made by an anonymous artist copying probably an Italian painter Giuseppe Cesari, was recently restored due to its bad conservation state. Before and during its intervention, the artwork was analysed in order to get information about materials and painting technique and help at the restoration process. Several invasive and non-invasive techniques for material identification have been used. Extracted samples were studied with OM, SEM-EDX, FTIR and GC-MS. The results revealed the usual palette for the 16th century, linseed oil binder, chalk based preparation and a complex pigment mixture for priming, as well as several later interventions. Under the OM, also organic fibers from the canvas were identified as flax support for the painting.