Ancient ‘gilded’ art objects from European cultural heritage: a review on different scales of characterization
Irina Crina Anca Sandu|Maria Helena de Sá|M.F.C. Pereira
Abstract This paper is a review on the studies performed through imaging and spectroscopy‐based analytical methods ancient ‘gilded’ art‐objects (9th–19th centuries) from European cultural heritage. The takes into consideration gilded surfaces in polychrome art objects (easel mural paintings, wooden objects, gilt leather parchment), thus meaning materials techniques of application gold or its imitations (silver, copper leaves, other metal alloys) technical, conservation points view. characterization artistic important for establishing compositional, structural, morphological physical–chemical parameters useful monitoring state, behavior evolution time their aging/degradation/deterioration processes, restoration treatments (cleaning, consolidation, retouching, varnishing) influence state original also rationale choice intervention, compatible with ones. approach has, as main requirement, to be noninvasive non‐ microdestructive, therefore, sampling avoided reduced minimum. A wide range nowadays available optical microscopy, UV fluorescence photography, IR reflectography, X‐radiography, thermography, scanning/transmission/environmental electron microscopy (SEM/TEM, E‐SEM), atomic force (AFM), FTIR Raman (micro‐FTIR, micro‐Raman), X‐ray spectrometry (WDXRF/EDXRF/TXRF, XPS), Ion Beam Analyses (PIXE/PIGE, RBS, SR), etc. most reliable complete information can obtained an integrated, complementary interdisciplinary approach, but still remains one used efficient tools gilding techniques. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.
Surface and Interface Analysis