Color study of Mudejar paintings of the pond found in the palace of “Reales Alcazares” in Seville

Abstract

AbstractThe color, chemical composition, and mineralogical phases of the superpositioned layers of materials in the architectural construction elements of the pond found in the middle of the “Patio de las Doncellas” Mudejar style Palace were analyzed during archaeological research on the “Reales Alcazares” palace in Sevilla, southern Spain. This analysis was conducted using visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive X‐ray analyzer, and X‐ray diffraction. The aim of this work is to study the color in the ornamentation of the pond by chemical and physical methods, and special attention has been paid to the superposition of materials. The results show that in the 14th century, the pond was covered with a lime mortar finished with a geometric drawing of Mudejar bow manufacture. The pigments used for the paints were made using albero (sedimentary material) that has a very light yellow color and iron oxide and vermilion or cinnabar for the red color. According to Robador et al. [Informe científico‐técnico y arqueológico del “Patio de las Doncellas” del Real Alcázar de Sevilla. ICMSE‐CSIC; 2004. p 80–110], in the 15th century this lime mortar was peaked, and another drawing was applied over it. The pigment used for the black color in the geometric drawing of waves over this last mortar was carbon obtained from burned animal bone. The red color that appears in the surface of the mortar was made with iron oxide and vermilion or cinnabar. The analysis of the paintings proves the two interventions made regarding the pond and the time at which they were made. Moreover, the characterization of pigments has facilitated the choice of materials and colors used to carry out the restoration of this historical building. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 489–495, 2007