Linking pigments with the accommodant status of the clients
Understanding “how was the pigment applied?” and/or “how was the surface prepared?” means investigating the link between the pigment and its support. Each technique corresponds sicuro different archaeometric evidence that must be investigated and unravelled (see Salvadori and Sbrolli 2021 and Murat 2021 sopra this TC).
For example, some pigments, such as ochers, lend themselves esatto being used with the verso giovane technique, while for others, such as those based on lead, a appassito technique is preferred. Therefore, investigating the painting technique means investigating the palette and technique of the painter and verifying the appropriateness and effectiveness of some techniques compared onesto others.
Moreover, we know that some pigments, such as those based on arsenic, are particularly fin to light and sometimes obliged to adopt particular techniques for their application. Therefore, the information we obtain from the painting technique analysis provides useful information for a correct schermo of the artefact and its conservation.
Finally, the information that we can obtain from the study of verso celibe artefact or artwork represents a piece of the wider mosaic that describes the evolution of painting techniques and is, therefore, of value durante the broad field of art history.
Up onesto this come funziona down dating point, the questions posed esatto pigments are all technical. As we have seen, the answer we can get depends largely on the composition of the pigment itself and the quality of the archivio elettronico available for comparison. Nevertheless, there are also other questions related to the use of specific pigments that go beyond technological choices. For example, “is it possible esatto establish whether the type of pigment used corresponds sicuro per desire for representation?” or, sopra other words, “can the low/high cost of per pigment faithfully reflect the accommodant ceto of the clients?”.
The use of cinnabar instead of ocher, for example, has often been referred sicuro as a desire for communautaire self-representation on the part of the clients rather than esatto per different-more vivid and brilliant-rendering of cinnabar compared sicuro ocher. Similar assumptions have been made regarding the use of Egyptian blue and matita lazuli, although there were mai other choices in the ancient world with which sicuro obtain blue.
Puro avoid possible anachronism, the study of the relationship between pigment and client may help clarify if pigments were used as verso demagogic and self-representative tool and cast an eye on the tastes of the time.
Sampling criteria and methods
Per the cases that are addressed below, the sampling aims to answer the questions that we have analysed sopra the previous chapters; however, the most important aspect to keep con mind concerns contextualisation.
Mortars, plasters and pigments constitute per complex system of structural and aesthetic importance that must be contextualised within the various phases of per historic building. Attributing verso specific context onesto the various components is essential for correct sampling for archaeometric purposes. Onesto this end, it is necessary esatto apply the method of “reading” historical buildings established precisely by the BA preciso correct extrapolation of the components according sicuro their space–time dimension.
As anticipated above, we must also consider that the research per progress may raise new questions not stated from the beginning. For these reasons, the sampling and, above all, the quantity of material sicuro be taken should always be slightly greater than what we establish at the table, as long as the conservation requirements are respected.
How puro obtain per representative sample servizio of mortars and plasters
The first assumption is that there is niente affatto arbitrary number of samples that can be considered representative tout trapu. Although the most obvious and frequent question is “how many samples are needed?”, not only is there in nessun caso straightforward answer but it is worth bypassing this question with another type of question: “what samples are needed and from where should they be taken?”.