Academic Year 2024/2025
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MS TEAMS CLASS
CENCIA-804002083-TEXTUAL_SOURCES,_MATERIAL_CULTURE_AND_CONSERVATION_2 | General | Microsoft Teams
The first part of the course will be devoted to analysing pictorial techniques used between the Middle Ages and the modern age, with particular attention to the artistic production of
Renaissance in Rome. The main phenomena of degradation and modern diagnostic investigation techniques will then be addressed.
The course will end with an in-depth study of the history and theory of restoration. Through the analysis of interventions on the works, we will see how the approach to restoration has
evolved from the Middle Ages to the modern theories of 20th-century restoration.
REFERENCE TEXTS
Bibliography, lesson’s lecture notes and Power Points will be shared in Pdf format in MS Teams Class.
During the course, photocopies, PDFs and / or indications of specific articles will be provided to deepen the topics discussed.
1. P. e L. Mora, P. Philippot, Conservation of wall paintings, Butterworths, 1984
2. C. Brandi, Theory of restoration, ICR, 2005
3. A. Conti, History of the restoration and conservation of works of art, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007
4. V. Thompson, “Cennino Cennini The Craftsman’s Handbook, 1831
5. W. Stanley Taft , James W. Mayer, the science of paintings, Springer New York, 2006
6. Louisa Maclehose, Vasari on technique; being the introduction to the three arts of design, architecture, sculpture and painting, prefixed to the Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects,
London, J.M. Dent, 1907
6. Artists’ Pigments: A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Volume 1,2,3, London, National Gallery of Art – Research, Robert L. Feller, 1986
Programme:
01 – Literature and artistic practice – The painter’s craft
02 – Creating the space - The perspective, from Alberti to Piero della Francesca
03 – Art materials - Pigments and binders
04 – Art of making - Panel painting techniques
05 – Art of making - Canvas painting techniques
06 – Art of making - Wall painting techniques
07 – Causes and cases - Deterioration in panel paintings
08 – Causes and cases - Deterioration in canvas paintings
09 – Causes and cases - Deterioration in wall paintings
10 – Discover and study - Artistic diagnostics
11 - History of Conservation I. 1300-1700
12 - History of Conservation II. Painting Transfer Techniques in 1700
13 - History of Conservation III. 1800-1900
14 - Theory of restoration - Cesare Brandi
15 - Raphael in Vatican 1508-1514 - The first two Stanze frescoes after restoration (visit)
16 - The Scala Santa fresco decoration after restoration (visit)
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Knowledge of the operative and material peculiarities that distinguish the artistic techniques taken into consideration during the course, being able to recognize the degradation phenomena found in the different types of artefact examined; with reference to literary sources and diagnostic investigations.
Know and understand the historical evolution and the modern approach to conservation and restoration.
The exam will take place in written and oral form. The answers to the questions of the written test will be discussed in the oral part.
The recognition of a particular artistic technique or degradation phenomena through images will be required.
WRITTEN TEST SAMPLES:
SAMPLE 1
1. Cennino Cennini indicates a precise pictorial technique to perform the flash tones. What colors does he suggest and, in particular, what color does he recommend to use as
a ground for flash tones?
2. Which are the main properties of pigments, for the purposes of painting techniques?
3. What is the incamottatura in the panel paintings, in what era was most used and what was it for?
4. Which are the correct proportions in the preparation of the mortar for the fresco, using sand or pozzolana, respectively, as inert? Which are the main methods of preparatory drawing transposition in the fresco?
5. What does the foderatura (lining) of the canvas paintings consist of and what is it for?
6. What is mainly used for fluorescence photography from ultraviolet rays?
7. What were the main differences in the nineteenth-century restoration theories of Viollet-le-Duc and John Ruskin?
8. What is the first restoration principle according to Cesare Brandi's Theory?
SAMPLE 2
1. What is the "legitimate construction" (costruzione legittima) of the perspective according to Leon Battista Alberti?
2. What are the main ancient pigments that can not be used in fresco?
3. Which is the changing of colors and materials used for the preparation of paintings
on canvas, in the passage between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
4. What is the difference between the technique of execution of the fresco by pontate and that by giornate?
5. What does the parchettatura (parchment) consist of and what is its use on panel paintings?
6. What is mainly used for Infrared reflectography?
7. What was the importance of the new restoration methods introduced by Carlo Maratta and on which paintings did he mainly work?
8. What is the second restoration principle according to Cesare Brandi's Theory?
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Academic Year: 2021/2022
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Programme:
17 - Making fresco- practical exercise (two days) - [tbd]
Timetable 
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LAB 2018 (28-30 May): Making Frescoes (gallery)
Programme 2019/2020
PICTORIAL TECHNIQUE AND PRINCIPLES OF CONSERVATION
FIRST PART: THE PAINTINGS
PAINTINGS MATERIALS
Pigments, binders, supports e preparations layers for paintings
MAIN PICTORIAL TECHNIQUES
Wall paintings, paintings on wood, paintings on canvas
DETERIORATION FACTORS
Environmental causes and human factor in the deterioration of pictorial works
HISTORY OF RESTORATION
From the painters to the restorer: developing of restoration technique in the time
RESTORATION THEORY
Cesare Brandi’s Teoria del restauro and some of its different applications
SECOND PART: THE FRESCO
FRESCO’S MATERIALS
Lime, inert, compatible pigments and those to avoid
EXECUTION TECHNIQUES
The drawing, the preparatory cartoon, the giornate the pouncing, the incisions
MAKING FRESCO - PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Painting a small example of fresco on a mobile support
BIG QUATTRO-CINQUECENT FRESCO CYCLES IN ROME
The Sistine Chapel and the Raphael’s Rooms – with visits to the Vatican Museum
FRESCOES RESTORATION
Fresco restoration techniques. With visit on the Scala Santa Sanctuary scaffolding
Resoruces
Bibliography
1. P. e L. Mora, P. Philippot, La conservazione delle pitture murali, Compositori, 2001 (italiano) o Conservation of wall paintings, Butterworths, 1984 – (inglese)
2. C. Brandi, Teoria del restauro, Einaudi, 2014 (italiano), o Theory of restoration, ICR, 2005 (inglese)
3. A. Conti, Storia del restauro e della conservazione delle opere d’arte, Electa, 2002 (italiano), o History of the restoration and conservation of works of art, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007 (inglese)
During the course, photocopies, PDFs and / or indications of specific articles will be provided to deepen the topics discussed