Application of Chemical Imaging Techniques for Characterization of Art Materials
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 6018
Special Issue Editors
Interests: heritage science; old master paintings; workshop practices; painting techniques; deterioration; chemical imaging
Interests: non destructive analysis; mobile instrumentation; scanners; photocatalysis; photodegradation; pigments; artists materials; X-ray methods; synchrotron radiation; micro analysis; hyperspectral imaging
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over recent decades, the constructive interplay between analytical and conservation sciences has led to better documentation of the conservation state of cultural heritage (CH) artefacts and a more objective assessment of their authenticity. Though very precious to mankind, there is an increasing awareness that cultural heritage objects are not eternal: they deteriorate inexorably at a certain rate, according to their material composition, the environmental conditions they are subjected to, and the chemical reactions that are taking place within their structure or at their surface. Many of these phenomena are invisible to the naked eye, as they unfold at the micro or even the nanoscale, but they are potentially devastating for the physical integrity or macroscopic appearance of the artefacts involved; as such, their importance is often underestimated.
Yet, collecting reliable chemical information on the materials constituting CH artefacts is essential for developing new preservation and conservation strategies, as well as for distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit artefacts. However, to gather such data, some hurdles must be overcome: CH objects are hybrid (organic/inorganic) and hierarchically organized systems of high complexity. Their material components are often obtained either directly from nature or through elaborate synthesis procedures, resulting in chemical products of various degrees of purity to be used and mixed with the artists’ skill and expertise. The palette of materials used by an artist can have temporal and geographical specificities and may contain information about possible technical practices and commercial exchanges.
A continuous challenge for art historians and conservators is to precisely distinguish between the materials used by artists in the past and potentially non-original compounds that were applied later or that formed in-situ over time. In particular, past conservation treatments, often undocumented, can result in the presence of “foreign” materials within the analyzed artwork. Unexpected materials may also result from the interactions between mineral and organic compounds that take place over time and can potentially induce the formation of degradation products. The monitoring of these non-original compounds can be crucial, as they may threaten the integrity of the object by causing delamination phenomena, color changes, etc.
From an analytical point of view, the use of imaging techniques for the study of painted cultural heritage artefacts has followed a clear positive trend in the last decade. Several imaging techniques are now regularly employed to identify and map artistic materials, from the nano and micro scale to the macro scale. Two- and three-dimensional techniques are particularly rewarding considering the “heterogeneous hierarchy of cultural heritage materials”.
The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a contemporary overview of the advances in chemical imaging methods useful for the (non-invasive) analysis of works of art and related materials. From the fundamental aspects of instrumental development to applied studies, all contributions involving one or a combination of material-specific imaging methods used to solve a material-related cultural heritage problem are welcome. In particular, studies related to degradation phenomena involving molecular changes within or at the surface of CH artefacts are of major interest for this Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Geert Van der Snickt
Prof. Dr. Koen Janssens
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- chemical imaging
- elemental imaging
- molecular imaging
- non-invasive analysis
- chemical degradation
- cultural heritage
- pigments
- paint
- paintings
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
