A methodological approach to study the stability of selected watercolours for painting reintegration, through reflectance spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging.

The aim of this work is to investigate the stability to simulated solar radiation of some paintings samples through a new methodological approach adopting non-invasive spectroscopic techniques. In particular, commercial watercolours and iron oxide based pigments were used, these last ones being prepared for the experimental by gum Arabic in order to propose a possible substitute for traditional reintegration materials. Reflectance spectrophotometry in the visible range and Hyperspectral Imaging in the short wave infrared were chosen as non-invasive techniques for evaluation the stability to irradiation of the chosen pigments.

A new dusts sensor for cultural heritage applications based on image processing.

In this paper, we propose a new sensor for the detection and analysis of dusts (seen as powders and fibers) in indoor environments, especially designed for applications in the field of Cultural Heritage or in other contexts where the presence of dust requires special care (surgery, clean rooms, etc.). The presented system relies on image processing techniques (enhancement, noise reduction, segmentation, metrics analysis) and it allows obtaining both qualitative and quantitative information on the accumulation of dust.

In-situ fluorimetry: a powerful non-invasive diagnostic technique for natural dyes used in artefacts. Part II. Identification of orcein and indigo in Renaissance tapestries.

In this paper, three Renaissance tapestries depicting scenes painted by Raffaello Sanzio, conserved at the Vatican Museum, were investigated using in-situ UV-Visible fluorimetric measurements. The results show that this technique is suitable for the detection of natural organic colorants used for dyeing the threads woven in these tapestries. The emission signals detected on red-purple colours were assigned to the colorant orcein and those on different nuances of blue and green colours to indigo by comparison with data from reference laboratory samples.