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Applied Sciences
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Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art
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Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2025) | Viewed by 6970

Special Issue Editors

Prof. ANTONELLA CASOLI

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
university of parma;department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability,
Interests: chemical of cultural heritage, painting materials, pigments, binding media, cleaning of painting works of art; Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art, ancient paper characterization, ancient paper cleaning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Laura Bergamonti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Interests: cultural heritage materials; polychrome works of art; cleaning spectroscopic characterization; heterogeneous photocatalysis; organic and inorganic pollutant adsorption; eanvironmental chemistry; nanomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The preservation of the historical memory of a population is strictly bound to the activation of suitable conservation restoration strategies. This project focuses on the first phase of the restoration process, the cleaning of works of art, proposing an innovative approach to the cleaning of painted surfaces. The ideal cleaning process should be selective, effective and controlled. Selective to act only and exclusively on unwanted substances. Effective to be able to remove a great variety of deteriogen agents. Controlled to prevent our action from affecting the original materials. The operation must not proceed beyond the desired level that is considered optimal. Scientific researchers are aware that the materials used until now during the cleaning phase are often effective in cleaning, but responsible for the leaching of organic components present in the product (binders, paints), thus causing removal of original materials.

Dr. Antonella Casoli
Dr. Laura Bergamonti
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • polychrome works of art
  • cleaning
  • original components of the work of art
  • innovative materials
  • conservation activities
  • mural paintings
  • canvas
  • “green” chemistry systems
  • diagnostic techniques
  • nanoscience
  • colloids
  • microemulsions
  • surfactants
  • gels

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 19291 KiB  
Article
The Ketone-Based Varnish Removal from an Oil Painting by Wassily Kandinsky: Comparison and Assessment of Cleaning Methods Through Preliminary Test on Mock-Ups and Multi-Analytical Investigation
by Valeria Ponza, Chiara Ricci, Dominique Scalarone, Mariangela Cestelli Guidi, Lucilla Pronti, Martina Romani, Angela Fabrizia Previtali, Alessandra Bassi, Luca Avataneo, Sara Abram, Michela Cardinali and Anna Piccirillo
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(22), 10385; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210385 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1137
Abstract
This paper presents the removal of a non-original varnish from the surface of a painting by Wassily Kandinsky based on prior experimentation carried out on mock-ups, which were made according to the original artistic technique and painting stratigraphy. Due to a generally serious [...] Read more.
This paper presents the removal of a non-original varnish from the surface of a painting by Wassily Kandinsky based on prior experimentation carried out on mock-ups, which were made according to the original artistic technique and painting stratigraphy. Due to a generally serious state of conservation, the artwork underwent several treatments over the years that have changed its original appearance. This work focused on the study and characterization of the ketone-based varnish present on the surface to outline how this non-original film layer interacted with paint layers and increased deterioration phenomena. Aiming to identify the most suitable approach for the artwork, some preliminary cleaning tests were made on artificially aged mock-ups. A multi-analytical investigation was carried out through non-invasive and invasive techniques to support all steps of the conservation treatment. By comparing cleaning results on mock-ups, a suitable protocol was developed and applied to the original painting. The best results were obtained by using the Nanorestore Gel® Dry MWR (Medium Water Retention) with ethanol. The project has shown that the dissolving power of the solvent can effectively be controlled and limited at the surface by confining it to the nanostructure of the gel, thus minimizing the risk of interaction with the original paint layers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art)
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26 pages, 90168 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) as a Green Alternative to Common Solvents in Conservation Treatments
by Camilla Zaratti, Livia Marinelli, Irene Angela Colasanti, Francesca Irene Barbaccia, Helene Aureli, Fernanda Prestileo, Tilde de Caro, Mauro Francesco La Russa and Andrea Macchia
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 1970; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14051970 - 28 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2312
Abstract
This study investigates the potential of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as environmentally sustainable alternatives to traditional solvents for the removal of low-polarity materials commonly found in cultural heritage artefacts. Recognizing the environmental and health concerns associated with conventional solvents, this research focuses [...] Read more.
This study investigates the potential of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as environmentally sustainable alternatives to traditional solvents for the removal of low-polarity materials commonly found in cultural heritage artefacts. Recognizing the environmental and health concerns associated with conventional solvents, this research focuses on FAME to remove low/non-polarity or non-polar substances used in cultural heritage preservation. Laboratory samples coated with low molecular synthetic resins (LMW) such as Regalrez 1094 and microcrystalline wax were treated with FAME applied in gel to prevent solvent–substrate interactions. Photographic documentation under UV-vis light, optical microscope observations, and spectrocolorimetric analysis were used for assessing surface “cleanness”, while FTIR-ATR spectroscopy was used to detect possible residue from treatment. Moreover, SEM analysis was used for a better understanding of the results. The best results were obtained using FAME base on methyl stearate according to Hansen-RED. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art)
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18 pages, 6142 KiB  
Article
Hydrophobic and Photocatalytic Treatment for the Conservation of Painted Lecce stone in Outdoor Conditions: A New Cleaning Approach
by Laura Bergamonti, Marianna Potenza, Federica Scigliuzzo, Sandro Meli, Antonella Casoli, Pier Paolo Lottici and Claudia Graiff
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1261; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031261 - 2 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1361
Abstract
Self-cleaning and hydrophobic treatments based on TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles are widely applied for the preservation of cultural heritage materials, to improve their resilience in polluted environments. Excellent results have been obtained on stone materials, but experiments on painted stone surfaces, [...] Read more.
Self-cleaning and hydrophobic treatments based on TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles are widely applied for the preservation of cultural heritage materials, to improve their resilience in polluted environments. Excellent results have been obtained on stone materials, but experiments on painted stone surfaces, such as wall paintings and polychrome plasters used in historic buildings, are still limited. In this work, we present a study on the use of water dispersions of TiO2 nanoparticles obtained via sol-gel and organically modified silica (OrMoSil) for cleaning and protective purposes on Lecce stone, a carbonate stone, widely used for its excellent workability but easily attacked by atmospheric agents and pollutants. First, we evaluated the harmlessness of the treatment on Lecce stone through colorimetric tests, water absorption by capillarity and permeability to water vapor. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanoparticles was assessed by photo-degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue dyes. The dispersion was then applied on painted samples prepared according to ancient recipes to confirm the effectiveness of the cleaning. The proposed TiO2/OrMoSil-based coating can act as a self-cleaning and protective treatment on lithic surfaces to prevent degradation phenomena and preserve the original appearance of the monument. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art)
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16 pages, 13286 KiB  
Article
“A Woman Clothed with the Sun”: The Diagnostic Study and Testing of Enzyme-Based Green Products for the Restoration of an Early 17th Century Wall Painting in the Palazzo Gallo in Bagnaia (Italy)
by Claudia Colantonio, Luca Lanteri, Ramona Bocci, Valeria Valentini and Claudia Pelosi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12884; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132312884 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1598
Abstract
A 17th century wall painting, representing the Virgin between two Saints, in a noble Italian renaissance palace, the Palazzo Gallo in Bagnaia (Viterbo, Italy), was restored in 2021 in the context of a wider restoration campaign involving the main room of the palace [...] Read more.
A 17th century wall painting, representing the Virgin between two Saints, in a noble Italian renaissance palace, the Palazzo Gallo in Bagnaia (Viterbo, Italy), was restored in 2021 in the context of a wider restoration campaign involving the main room of the palace built by cardinal Sansoni Riario. Diagnostic analyses performed using traditional characterization techniques (optical microscopy on micro-stratigraphic sections, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) provided the identification of both the original painting and its restoration materials, while imaging investigations using the ultraviolet fluorescence photography, false color images and multispectral mapping provided by the hypercolorimetric multispectral imaging (HMI) technique enabled the evaluation of the state of conservation, the location of restoration interventions and supported the monitoring of the cleaning procedure. An altered protective Paraloid®-based coating dating from the early 2000s had to be removed due to the unpleasant glossy finishing it had given to the painted surface, making the scene barely readable. To pursue a restoration protocol based on environmental sustainability and green chemistry, enzyme-based gels marketed by the Nasier-Brenta© and CTS© companies were tested in different protocols for the cleaning of the mixture (known as beverone) covering the painting. Although some interesting results were observed, the enzymatic cleaning had limited effectiveness, and was more timing-consuming than was reasonable. Traditional chemical solvents such as Dowanol PM (methoxy propanol) and benzyl alcohol were necessary to complete the cleaning of the painting surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Methods of Cleaning Polychrome Works of Art)
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