Considerations on the polychromy of a group of nenfro sculptures from Tuscania (Viterbo) kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Florence

Abstract

The paper deals with a group of Etruscan nenfro sculptures found in Tuscania (Viterbo) and kept in the Archaeological Museum of Florence, where some of them were already displayed at the end of the 19th and early 20th century. After the flood of Florence in 1966, the Museum was heavily damaged, causing the dismemberment of many contexts, including those from Tuscania. The artefacts were then cleaned, restored and most of them were moved into the depository of the Museum and to the Villa Corsini, where they are currently kept. The sculptures were analysed by means of a totally non-invasive analytical protocol through imaging and single spot analysis. Traces mostly of yellow and red iron-based pigments for the skin tone as well as few traces of Egyptian blue were evidenced. The comparison of the obtained analytical results joined with the archaeological studies has provided new information about the sculptures, their conservation state and artistic technique as well as deepened the knowledge about their original contexts.