Marc Grellert, Markus Wacker, Jonas Bruschke, Wolfgang Stille, Daniel Beck
Documentation and Evaluation of Virtual Reconstructions

Virtual reconstructions have become widely established as communication and research tools in the context of architectural and urban studies. To make these reconstruction solutions more transparent and to allow for their assessment and recognition, it is of vital importance to document and evaluate the reconstruction processes. However, currently, such documentation, which would facilitate the scholarly analysis of the results, is only compiled in isolated cases. The DFG-funded project IDOVIR (Infrastructure for Documentation of Virtual Reconstructions) provides the community with an open, user-friendly platform (www.idovir.com) for documenting sources, reconstructions, and decisions quickly and economically. From variants and different evaluation schemes for reconstructions and sources, the versatile tool allows the user to indicate the plausibility and informational value of the sources and the reconstructions based on them.

Lisa Vergelli, Francesca Frasca, Chiara Bertolin, Gabriele Favero, Anna Maria Siani
Cluster Analysis to identify Microclimate Patterns in a Multi-room Film Archive

This paper presents an objective methodology for clustering the indoor microclimate of a multi-room cinematographic archive housing climate-sensitive film materials. The proposed methodology was tested on a selected case study: an archive housing cellulose acetate films located in the Mediterranean area. A multivariate statistical approach (cluster analysis) was used to identify clusters of rooms from temperature and relative humidity observations recorded continuously in the archive’s storage rooms over a 7-month period. The outputs of this work led to a reduction from 26 rooms to four clusters representing four homogeneous microclimate patterns among the clustered rooms, reducing the time-consuming processing of large amounts of thermo-hygrometric data. The identified microclimate patterns allowed to target a number of rooms where to perform inspections, expedited in time but still objectively representative for all rooms, of the occurrence of the vinegar syndrome affecting cellulose acetate films and depending on thermo-hygrometric storage conditions.

Giulia Boccacci, Francesca Frasca, Chiara Bertolin, Claudio Chimenti, Erlend Lund, Tonje Dahlin Sæter, Anna Maria Siani
Indoor Climate Characterisation of the Quarantine Room of NTNU University Library

Archives, museums, libraries can have quarantine rooms as storage areas in which incoming collections are temporarily housed (i.e., from 2 weeks to 40 days). The purpose of the quarantine period is to control the object’ state in case of appearance of signs suggesting ongoing chemical and biological alteration, before being placed in conservation or exhibition spaces. Inappropriate thermo-hygrometric conditions of such spaces could negatively affect the conservation state of organic materials commonly stored in archives. In this paper, the indoor climate characterisation of a quarantine room, located in Dora I, Trondheim (Norway) is performed over a multi-year period to highlight changes which may have led to a rise in insects catches within the same area. The outcomes of an entomological and microclimate analysis within the room shows that no significant year-to-year variations was experienced in the indoor hygrothermal behaviour, and the peak of insects catches happened in July and August 2022. Preventive strategies are finally formulated to help in detecting the potentially infested objects and in minimizing the possibility of biological proliferation on artifacts.

Francesca Volpi, Michela Albano, Giacomo Fiocco, Maduka Weththimuni, Marco Malagodi, Chiara Delledonne, Chaehoon Lee
Unveiling Hidden Insights of Ancient Roman wall paintings in Cremona: In-Depth Knowledge Beyond the Surface with Spectroscopic Analysis

This research represents the first non-invasive analytical study on the wall paintings of the Domus del Ninfeo (1st century B.C.) excavated in Cremona. Scientific analysis played a crucial role in investigating the pigments and the painting technique that contributed to a deeper understanding of one of the provinces of ancient Rome in Northern Italy. To this aim we utilized portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) combined with FTIR spectroscopy in external reflection mode (ER-FTIR) for characterizing the wall decorations. The outcomes revealed that wall paintings were executed using the fresco technique, employing costly pigments such as Egyptian blue for blue and green shades, and cinnabar for vibrant red and pink hues. These expensive pigments were sometimes mixed with more common pigments like green earth and red ochre, while calcium carbonate was used for white tones and lighting effects. Overall, this research deepened our understanding of the artistic practices and connections between coeval societies of the Roman Empire.

Elena Testa, Luca Lanteri, Giuseppe Capobianco, Giuseppe Bonifazi, Silvia Serranti, Francesca Montozzi, Paola Pogliani, Claudia Pelosi
The use of micaceous pigments for the chromatic reintegration of the gilded stuccoes in the Lante della Rovere chapel of Palazzo Orsini at Bomarzo

The present paper summarizes the fundamental results of the study and restoration of the gilded stucco decoration of the Lante Della Rovere Chapel of Palazzo Orsini in Bomarzo (Viterbo), which was the subject of a master's thesis in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage at University of Tuscia. The diagnostics was fundamental for understanding the executive technique and investigating the problems relating to the state of conservation of the artefact. It was performed by in situ non-invasive techniques such as ultraviolet fluorescence photography and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and in the laboratory by micro-invasive analysis through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. After the characterisation of the materials, the execution techniques, and the state of conservation of the stuccoes, some tests were executed on mocks-up to evaluate the possibility of using micaceous pigments to reintegrate the gilded surfaces. The mock-ups were investigated by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy in mapping modality to evaluate the pigments’ composition. The stability over time of the micaceous pigments was evaluated through colour measurement, and hyperspectral imaging.