The use of a multi-method approach to identify the pigments in the 12th century manuscript Liber Floridus

Crocoite PbCrO4 and mimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl: rare minerals in highly degraded mediaeval murals in Northern Bohemia

“…in Cistercian 12th-13th century manuscripts in Portugal [10] as well as in the early 12th century manuscript 'Liber Floridus' stored in the Ghent University Library, Belgium. [11] The same palette appeared also in Pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, and Early Gothic wall paintings, e.g. in the 12th century monastery of Santa Maria delle Cerrate, Puglia, Italy, [12] or the 11th-13th century painted fragments in San Giovanni Battista Church in Cevio, Switzerland.…”

On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

“…A variety of Ca, CaMg carbonates, and sulphates was used as white pigment (chalk, bianco di San Giovanni: CaCO 3 ; huntite: CaMg 3 (CO 3 ) 4 and dolomite: CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ; gypsum: CaSO 4 · 2 H 2 O), as well as mixed with glue to prepare ground layers in northern and southern Europe, respectively [1,20,[43][44][45] and to prepare parchment for manuscripts [46]. The calcination of bones gives a white pigment mainly containing apatite Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 [1].…”

“…SO 2 pollution is responsible for the formation of gypsum, which is soluble and produces mechanical stress, as its volume is larger than that of the starting material [20,45]. Gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O) is a common degradation product in wall paintings and manuscripts [46]. Being alkaline, these pigments are not suitable for mixing with pigments such as verdigris [50], but they are stable to sulphide containing materials (pollutants or pigments) [45].…”

In situ study of stones adorning a silver Torah shield using portable Raman spectrometers

“…They were grouped on the basis of their situation in the Torah shield as follows ( Fig. 1): the big yellow, blue, pink and green stones at the periphery of the shield (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14), the stones in the central crown (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24), the central non-translucent cabochon and small associated stones (25)(26), the stones at the crown of the right column 27-33, the red stones close to the deer head (34,35,46,47), the big stone between deer's antlers (45), the red stone in the deer's body (36), the small stones on the box for removable plates (37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44), the stones at the crown of the left column (48-53) and small stones as apples in the tree crowns (54-58).…”

“…Raman spectroscopy is starting to be routinely used as a primary method for studying gemstones mounted in many historical objects in situ (Heinrich's cross dating from the late Middle Ages, [2] scepter of Faculty of Science of Charles University [3] ) or in the laboratory (golden chalices from the Einsiedeln Abbey crafted in the 17th century, [4] the Reliquary cross and Dorothy monstrance of the late Gothic period, [5] the cover of an elaborately decorated leather-bound manuscript, the Tours Gospel, 'Evangelia Quatuor' [6] ), analyses of pigments, [7][8][9][10] glass and glass products [11][12][13][14][15][16] and ceramics. [17,18] We present here the rapid and accurate in situ identification of stones using portable instruments equipped with 785-nm and 532-nm lasers, the second of them used for the identification of the red coral's pigments in resonance conditions.…”