Multidisciplinary Research for the Monitoring and Preventive Conservation of Cultural Heritage

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 August 2024 | Viewed by 3180

Special Issue Editors

Department of Civil - Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy
Interests: applied geophysics; non-destructive diagnostics for monuments; geophysical–petrographical characterization of stone materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, the available technologies and methodologies for the Monitoring and Preventive Conservation of Cultural Heritage are promising and the scientific community has been finalizing studies to find approaches fast with effective and easy 3D documentation. The integration of different types of complementary information can greatly improve the diagnostic process for the conservation state of Cultural Heritage. The diagnostic process of stone material decay is very complex and cannot be described by a single discipline. The prevention and rehabilitation of monumental structures can only be successful by combining different methodologies. The multidisciplinary approach, starting from historic and architectural analysis to a complete mechanical, physical, mineralogical, and petrographic characterization of stone building materials, is believed to have the greatest chance of success. Moreover, monumental structures and heritage sites are at risk from pollution, tourism, and geoenvironmental disasters such as earthquakes or climatic changes; their protection is the duty of future generations. In this framework, the volume covers several research fields, from architecture to geology, going through material diagnostics, and aims to improve knowledge and plan restoration solutions. Papers dealing with the description of new integrated technologies and strategies for the Monitoring and Preventive Conservation of Cultural Heritage are welcome.

Dr. Silvana Fais
Dr. Giuseppe Casula
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • cultural heritage conservation and preservation
  • damage assessment
  • materials characterization
  • non-destructive diagnostic multitechniques
  • risk evaluation
  • monitoring

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 51443 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Secrets of an Artwork through Non-Invasive Investigations—Case Study of a 19th-Century Female Portrait
by Adrian Rauca, Luminița Ghervase, Antonia Berdie and Matei Agachi
Minerals 2023, 13(9), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13091193 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 806
Abstract
This article aims to present the results of the investigations performed on a 19th-century oil painting on canvas belonging to the Conservation and Restoration Department of the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The artwork depicting the portrait of a lady [...] Read more.
This article aims to present the results of the investigations performed on a 19th-century oil painting on canvas belonging to the Conservation and Restoration Department of the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The artwork depicting the portrait of a lady originating from an important Irish noble family (Judith Bunbury, 1785–1861) has been investigated using only non-invasive methods. The investigation protocol included digital photography in different light sources at different wavelengths, which was used to document the current condition of the painting, UV fluorescence, which highlighted the previous improper retouches and the presence of a varnish coat, Infrared reflectography, which brought to light the underdrawing made by the artist and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, an elemental analysis technique which indicated the chemical composition of the pigments, suggesting the use of lead white, a barium white pigment, yellow and red ochre, vermilion, cobalt blue, and a manganese-based brown pigment. The results of this entirely non-invasive investigation approach helped in choosing the most appropriate conservation and restoration methodology for the artwork. Full article
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15 pages, 5350 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Rock Porosity and Infrared Cooling Rate in Non-Standard Specimens of Tuffs Used in the Hungarian Cultural Heritage
by Simone Mineo, Luigi Germinario, Ákos Török and Giovanna Pappalardo
Minerals 2023, 13(8), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13081100 - 18 Aug 2023
Viewed by 624
Abstract
This paper is focused on the application of Infrared Thermography to non-standard rock specimens, in terms of size and deterioration conditions, of Hungarian tuff to monitor their cooling process and to look for a relationship between the rock Cooling Rate Index and the [...] Read more.
This paper is focused on the application of Infrared Thermography to non-standard rock specimens, in terms of size and deterioration conditions, of Hungarian tuff to monitor their cooling process and to look for a relationship between the rock Cooling Rate Index and the porosity. Literature data agree on the potential of Infrared Thermography for the indirect estimation of rock porosity in fresh specimens through the IRTest, but this technique has never been tested on non-standard specimens. To this purpose, tests on three varieties of Hungarian tuffs were carried out. These materials were selected for their cultural importance linked to their usage as building stones and in other historical applications in Northern Hungary. Tuff specimens underwent a fixed number of salt crystallization cycles. The Cooling Rate Index (CRI) for each specimen was calculated according to the literature experience and correlated to their porosity estimated by water, helium, and mercury intrusion. The results show that the rock cooling process is related to porosity since more porous rocks are characterized by faster cooling. Positive linear trends were achieved for weathered specimens considering 20 min monitoring (CRI20), which is double the time suitable for untreated rocks. The reason should be searched in salt crystallization’s effects on the rock texture, paving the way to further studies on this pioneering branch of technological application. Full article
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13 pages, 3893 KiB  
Article
Material and Technical Analysis of La Inmaculada by Francisco Pacheco
by Anabelle Kriznar, Javier Moreno-Soto, Antonio Gamero-Osuna, Agustín Martín-de-Soto, Francisco José Ager and Miguel Ángel Respaldiza
Minerals 2023, 13(4), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13040541 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1039
Abstract
Francisco Pacheco (1564–1644) was one of the most important Spanish painters, the author of the famous treatise Art of Painting, and a founder of Seville art school. His painting La Inmaculada (1610) forms part of the important art collection in the Archbishop’s Palace [...] Read more.
Francisco Pacheco (1564–1644) was one of the most important Spanish painters, the author of the famous treatise Art of Painting, and a founder of Seville art school. His painting La Inmaculada (1610) forms part of the important art collection in the Archbishop’s Palace in Seville and represents the first realization of a new iconography, established by Pacheco. Later, he carried out several paintings with the same subject which are today in different collections. As part of a larger project, La Inmaculada was recently restored and analysed. The characterization of materials and painting procedures was carried out applying noninvasive in situ analysis by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Results revealed many retouches, probably from different periods, as well as some pentimenti in the composition. Chemical analysis indicates a preparation made of Seville clay, lead white and some calcite on an animal glue layer, according to Pacheco’s own treatise, and a corresponding pigment palette for the 17th century: lead white, yellow and red earths, lead–tin yellow, vermilion, azurite, smalt, a copper-based green, umber, and bone black. Furthermore, modern pigments such as titanium and zinc whites, chrome green, and cadmium yellow were also identified as results of later interventions. Full article
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