A multi-analytical approach for the characterization of red dyestuffs used in ancient tapestries: construction of a reference database

Paola Fermo, Valeria Comite, Vittoria Guglielmi, Marco Schiavoni,Elisabetta Boanini, Elisa Monfasani, Roberto Bonomi, Valerio Pasini

Abstract

The study here presented concerns the characterization, withchromatographic (high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) andspectroscopic (Raman spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy)techniques, of red dyestuffs used to dye the yarns of ancienttapestries. Following the ancient recipes the yarns (wool andsilk) have been dyed using natural red dyes such as madder, kermesand cochineal. By SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscopy coupledwith energy dispersive X-ray analysis) the yarns morphology hasbeen investigated and the presence of the metals responsible forthe specific mordants employed has been highlighted. The samplesthus obtained have been studied in order to build a referencedatabase that can be used later for the identification of the dyes used by the ancient tapestry manufacturers. Attention has been also paid to develop a non-destructive approach to be applied in-situ for the analysis of the ancient tapestries.

Download

IMEKO-TC4-METROARCHAEO-2019-112.pdf

DOI

-

IMEKO TC

TC4 - Measurement of Electrical Quantities

Back to the proceedings