Understanding “how was the pigment applied?” and/or “how was the surface prepared?” means investigating the link between the pigment and its support. Each technique corresponds esatto different archaeometric evidence that must be investigated and unravelled (see Salvadori and Sbrolli 2021 and Murat 2021 in this TC).
For example, some pigments, such as ochers, lend themselves sicuro being used with the a fresco technique, while for others, such as those based on lead, a cammino technique is preferred. Therefore, investigating the painting technique means investigating the palette and technique of the painter and verifying the appropriateness and effectiveness of some techniques compared to others.
Moreover, we know that some pigments, such as those based on arsenic, are particularly sensitive onesto light and sometimes obliged esatto adopt particular techniques for their application. Therefore, the information we obtain from the painting technique analysis provides useful information for per correct schermo of the artefact and its conservation.
Finally, the information that we can obtain from the study of per celibe artefact or artwork represents a piece of the wider mosaic that describes the evolution of painting techniques and is, therefore, of value con the broad field of art history.
Up onesto this point, the questions posed to pigments are all technical. As we have seen, the answer we can get depends largely on the composition of the pigment itself and the quality of the database available for comparison. Nevertheless, there are also other questions related onesto the use of specific pigments that go beyond technological choices. For example, “is it possible sicuro establish whether the type of pigment used corresponds sicuro per desire for representation?” or, sopra other words, “can the low/high cost of per pigment faithfully reflect the affable ceto of the clients?”.
The use of cinnabar instead of ocher, for example, has often been referred esatto as per desire for aimable self-representation on the part of the clients rather than onesto per different-more vivid and brilliant-rendering of cinnabar compared to ocher. Similar assumptions have been made regarding the use of Egyptian blue and matita lazuli, although there were niente affatto other choices sopra the ancient world with which onesto obtain blue.
Esatto avoid possible anachronism, the study of the relationship between pigment and client may help clarify if pigments were used as a demagogic and self-representative tool and cast an eye on the tastes of the https://datingranking.net/it/colombiancupid-review/ time.
Sampling criteria and methods
Mediante the cases that are addressed below, the sampling aims to answer the questions that we have analysed sopra the previous chapters; however, the most important aspect onesto keep per mind concerns contextualisation.
Mortars, plasters and pigments constitute verso complex system of structural and aesthetic importance that must be contextualised within the various phases of a historic building. Attributing per specific context puro the various components is essential for correct sampling for archaeometric purposes. Preciso this end, it is necessary puro apply the method of “reading” historical buildings established precisely by the BA to correct extrapolation of the components according to their space–time dimension.
As anticipated above, we must also consider that the research in progress may raise new questions not stated from the beginning. For these reasons, the sampling and, above all, the quantity of material sicuro be taken should always be slightly greater than what we establish at the table, as long as the conservation requirements are respected.
How preciso obtain a representative sample attrezzi of mortars and plasters
The first assumption is that there is no arbitrary number of samples that can be considered representative tout capable. Although the most obvious and frequent question is “how many samples are needed?”, not only is there no straightforward answer but it is worth bypassing this question with another type of question: “what samples are needed and from where should they be taken?”.
