Scientific investigation of The Conversion of St Paul painting (Mdina, Malta)

Sebastiano D Amico, Valentina Venuti, Emanuele Colica, Vincenza Crupi, Domenico Majolino, Giuseppe Paladini, Sante Guido, Giuseppe Mantella, Rosarianna Zumbo

Abstract

The paper presents the results of two different approaches applied to the newly-restored painting The Conversion of St Paul, the main altarpiece in the Cathedral of Mdina in Malta. This large, dramatic painting is work of the Baroque artist Mattia Preti, il Cavaliere Calabrese. As is normal with a professionally executed restoration, several scientific methods have been used before, during and at completion, in the framework of a global analytical strategy. In particular, we focus on the results of the digital photogrammetric survey which uses imagebased approaches for 2D/3D models reconstruction enormously. The model was used to quantify and measure important features on the painting as well extensions of areas restored. In addition, portable Raman spectroscopy was used to identify, in nondestructive way, the nature of the painting materials with the final goal of reconstructing the color palette of the artist.

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IMEKO-TC4-METROARCHAEO-2019-61.pdf

DOI

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IMEKO TC

TC4 - Measurement of Electrical Quantities

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