The Characterization of the Materials Used by Gino Severini in his 20th C Wall Paintings at Semsales in Switzerland

Patrizia Moretti,Stefan Zumbühl,Francesca Piqué,Nicola Gammaldi,Ottaviano Caruso,Paola Iazurlo

doi:10.3390/app11199161

Abstract

The modern decoration of the Saint Nicolas de Myre Church at Semsales (1924–1926), is the first by renowned Italian artist Gino Severini in Switzerland. Following archival research and visual examination, the materials and the techniques used by Severini for the wall paintings of this church were examined through a multi-technique analytical approach that included both non-invasive and invasive investigations. Archival research revealed lists of some of the materials purchased for the church and notes of the artists. In situ investigations included imaging methods and point analyses (X-ray fluorescence and reflection FT-IR spectroscopy). Based on non-invasive results, a limited number of representative samples were collected for laboratory invasive analyses (SEM-EDS, FTIR-FPA imaging, μ-Raman and GC-MS) to characterize the stratigraphy and the composition of the paintings. Results were coherent with artist’s notes and revealed protein-based binders, i.e. animal glue and casein, exclusively on the Trinity mural (in the apse) confirming the use of a secco technique. All the other wall paintings analyzed at Semsales are painted without the use of organic binders. These findings, integrated with archival researches and the visual examination by conservators, provided significant insights into the materials and techniques used by Gino Severini in his first Swiss murals.

Highlights

In the Romand region of Switzerland, between 1924 and 1947, the well-known Italian artist Gino Severini (Cortona, 1883–Paris, 1966) decorated five churches in the context of a Catholic art renewal promoted by the Groupe de Saint-Luc [1,2]
Following archival research and visual examination, the materials and the techniques used by Severini for the wall paintings of this church were examined through a multi-technique analytical approach that included both non-invasive and invasive investigations
The results are presented in two sections following the known technical differences between the wall painting a secco of the Trinity in the apse (Section 3.1) and either the a fresco, lime-based wall paintings or in combination, in the rest of the church (Section 3.2)

Summary

Introduction

In the Romand region of Switzerland, between 1924 and 1947, the well-known Italian artist Gino Severini (Cortona, 1883–Paris, 1966) decorated five churches in the context of a Catholic art renewal promoted by the Groupe de Saint-Luc [1,2]. Despite Severini’s fame as cubist and futurist easel painting artist [3], his murals in Switzerland are not well known and have never been studied from the technical point of view. To fill this gap, a 4-year multidisciplinary research project (2018–2022) entitled “Gino Severini in Switzerland: mural paintings and Catholic art revival of the Groupe de Saint-Luc” is ongoing. A 4-year multidisciplinary research project (2018–2022) entitled “Gino Severini in Switzerland: mural paintings and Catholic art revival of the Groupe de Saint-Luc” is ongoing This project is coordinated by the University of Applied Sciences and Art of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), in collaboration with the Bern University of the Applied Sciences and the University of Lausanne [4,5]. A thorough description of Severini’s artistic processes provided by the technical examination of the wall paintings integrated with archival research is presented in Iazurlo et al [9]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion