Ancient Frescoes Research Articles

TV-holography in artwork diagnostics

TV-holography can hold a great potential in non-destructive diagnostics of the state of conservation and preservation of artworks. Its use in revealing debonds, cracks, voids, delaminations or residual stress in both ancient paintings on wooden panels, statuaries and mural supports has been proven. The method is easy to apply and very functional for the basic objectives of conservation; its compactness enables detection of microdisplacements even in non laboratory environments. Measurements in field of microcracks and subsurface detachments on ancient frescoes and panel paintings are reported.

Nondestructive Evaluation of Delaminations in Fresco Plaster Using Transient Infrared Thermography

Abstract A transient method of thermal nondestructive testing is applied to detect subsurface delaminations in fresco plaster as a part of restoration work that is being conducted in Italy. A two-dimensional cylindrical model is used to estimate temperature distribution in materials with defects of various sizes and depths. The possibility of testing plaster with thickness up to 30 mm is illustrated. The choice of heating technique, which is supposed to be really nondestructive to ancient frescoes and powerful enough to create reasonable temperatures signals, is considered. Test duration and optimum sampling interval are discussed also. The structural noise of plaster and the influence of surface painting are investigated.

Influence of different lights of mixed cultures of microalgae from ancient frescoes

Deterioration of frescoes inside a hypogean room of the Domus aurea in Rome was mainly caused by the growth of an algal association which persisted on the frescoes even in darkness. Following the proposal to utilize a new illumination system, the present research was undertaken to ascertain the effect of an incandescent lamp on the whole association in culture. For comparison a fluorescent lamp was also employed, and two low light intensities were tested. Observations on the development and morphology of the various algal species and analysis of the photosynthetic pigment content indicate that the Lyngbya spp. dominant in the association appeared to be highly adaptable to both lamps and intensities. Carefully limited use of the new lamp was advisable.

The Ancient Frescoes from the Villa Negroni and Their Influence in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The Ancient Frescoes from the Villa Negroni and Their Influence in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The Ancient Frescoes from the Villa Negroni and Their Influence in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

In the summer of 1777 a late Hadrianic house was discovered in the Villa Negroni in Rome which was found to contain excellently preserved wall paintings. The decorations were copied by Anton Raphael Mengs and Anton von Maron and published in twelve hand-colored engravings during the following twenty-four years. The article describes the house and the arrangement of the paintings within it; locates and describes the now rare engravings (the series is published here in its entirety for the first time); identifies one plate as being of doubtful authenticity; and traces the influence of the engravings on interiors of the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Recent Restorations of Ancient Russian Frescoes

Recent Restorations of Ancient Russian Frescoes

Recent Restorations of Ancient Russian Frescoes

Recent Restorations of Ancient Russian Frescoes

Ancient heraldic frescoes in churches

Ancient heraldic frescoes in churches

Ancient Heraldic Frescoes in churches

Ancient Heraldic Frescoes in churches

IX.—On some Ancient Paintings in churches of Athens

The accompanying notes are made for the purpose of introducing to the Society the beautiful copies of ancient frescoes from the churches of Athens which have been lent for exhibition by the Marquis of Bute. His lordship had these copies made during his stay at Athens in 1885. He has given a full account of them in an essay on “Some Christian Monuments of Athens,” published in the Scottish Review (July 1885), and the descriptions of the pictures given in this paper are quoted from his lordship's essay. These paintings and the monuments containing them are of course subject to decay, but they are, it appears, in greater danger of wilful destruction from speculative excavations to unearth monuments more ancient, or from attempts to make use of the materials of such monuments for new buildings. It is from no wanton vandalism that such destruction arises, but it is evidently the result of the uncultivated condition of the present race of Athenians. In the article in the Scottish Review the writer thus comments on this unsatisfactory state of things:—A decree of Otho L, dated May 20, 1836, placed at the disposal of the Ministry of Public Worship every ruined church in Greece, however important historically or however precious artistically, as a mine for the building of new places of public worship, the new University of Athens, &c. This decree is conceived as if no such things as History or Art existed. The results have been terrible, and Finlay, as an eye-witness, speaks of “the destruction of numerous mediæval churches which formed a valuable link in the records of Athens, and an interesting feature in Athenian topography, while they illustrated the history of art by their curious and sometimes precious paintings.”