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Materials and techniques of mural paintings attributed to Johannes Aquila in Central Eastern Europe around 1400

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Abstract

The artist Johannes Aquila was active in the last quarter of the fourteenth century in the area of Middle East Europe, divided today between Slovenia, Austria, and Hungary. He is principally known for his mural paintings in Velemér (Hungary), Turnišče and Martjanci (Slovenia), Bad Radkersburg and Fürstenfeld (Austria). His works have been studied from the art-historical point of view, revealing a complex influence on his style, from the Italian Trecento and from the Northern, especially Czech art. The present research aims to understand whether materials and painting techniques used by Aquila and his workshop also correspond to the North European or rather South European, mainly Italian, contemporary painting manner. Different invasive and non-invasive techniques have been selected in all five locations, depending on permissions obtained and analytical equipment available. Besides a precise study in situ by the naked eye and by digital microscope, also a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and VIS spectrophotometry were used. Where possible, microsamples of pigments and plasters were extracted and studied by optical microscopy, SEM–EDX, FTIR, XRF and XRD. The results showed that artists used mostly inorganic pigments, generally stable in a fresco technique, and probably some lead-based ones. Aquila and his disciples combined a fresco, a secco and sometimes lime technique. His plasters are poor in lime and can contain organic fibres. There is a huge difference in the quality of technical execution between his early murals and his latter ones, where most of the work was carried out by his workshop.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for the research scholarship and to the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) in Berlin that welcomed her as a guest researcher during 18 months of the scholarship. Special thanks to Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Olvier Hahn, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Ira Rabin, Dr. Olivier Bonnerot and Dr. Simon Steger (Division 4.5—Analysis of Artefacts and Cultural Assets), Dipl.-Ing. FH Ines Feldmann (Division 4.2—Materials and Air pollutants), Dr. Francisca Emmerling and Dominik Al-Sabbagh (Division 1.3—Instrumental Analytics) for their help. Sincere gratitude to Dr. habil. Ina Reiche and Regine-Ricarda Pausewein for the permission of using the facilities of the Rathgen Research laboratory of the Berlin state museums for the elaboration of cross sections. Many thanks to all institutions in Slovenia, Austria and Hungary that granted the permission to carry out the research work: Institute for the protection of cultural heritage of Slovenia in Ljubljana (ZVKDS) and Maribor Regional unit, Archdiocese in Ljubljana and Diocese in Maribor in Slovenia, Restoration and Conservation department of the Federal Monument Office (BDA) in Vienna, Styria State conservatory in Graz, Archdiocese Vienna and Diocese Graz-Seckau in Austria, the Authority department of the Construction and Heritage Protection department of Vas County Government office/ Szombathely District Office with the essential help and support by Prof. Dr. Éva Galambos from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary, on this almost impossible mission.

Funding

The research was possible thanks to the scholarship for established researchers, granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Bonn, Germany).

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  1. Department of Sculpture and History of Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Anabelle Kriznar

  2. Department of Art History, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Anabelle Kriznar

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Kriznar, A. Materials and techniques of mural paintings attributed to Johannes Aquila in Central Eastern Europe around 1400. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136, 525 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-01471-3

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