Abstract
A simple portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer was successfully used for in-situ and nondestructive identification of the painting materials in two 15th century icons from the Onufri Museum in Beart, Albania. The spectrometer is based on a low power X-ray tube, a thermoelectrically cooled Si PIN detector and the spectrum acquisition system. It was assembled and adjusted at our laboratory for the investigation of the icons. A small number of pigments were clearly identified by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) measurements in both icons. This includes Lead white for the white color, gold and yellow ochre for the yellow color, red lead, cinnabar and red ochre for the red color, as well as cooper based pigments for the green color. At the same time, the investigation raised some new questions that need further investigations by the use of additional analytical techniques. The results show that in both icons are used similar pigments, which are in accordance with the Byzantine icon painting tradition.
Highlights
The town of Berati is an important historical and cultural centre in Albania
A simple portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer was successfully used for in-situ and nondestructive identification of the painting materials in two 15th century icons from the Onufri Museum in Beart, Albania
The results show that in both icons are used similar pigments, which are in accordance with the Byzantine icon painting tradition
Summary
The town of Berati is an important historical and cultural centre in Albania. Berati is designated “Museum town” in 1961 by the Albanian. Civici government and from 2008 it is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Onufri” museum is situated within the old castle and has a big collection of icons and other Christian religious objects. It is named after Onufri from Neokastra, who is considered the best painter that had ever worked in Albanian territory and in the 16th century founded a school of painters known as the Berati School [1] [2]
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