Pigments Identification in Oil Paintings of 18th–19th Century from the Museum of Post-Byzantine Art of Zakynthos Using Raman Spectroscopy and XRF

Abstract

The aim was to use non – destructive spectroscopic techniques in selected paintings of the Ionian School of the Museum of Zakynthos, under the supervision of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Zakynthos. We used Raman and XRF spectroscopy in order to identify the pigments of the paintings. n our investigation, the use of these techniques for the first time at the Museum of Post-Byzantine Art of Zakynthos is more than essential due to the historical particularities of the Island. A massive earthquake, followed by a wildfire within the city bounds devastated the Island of Zakynthos in August, 1953 and its archival wealth was almost altogether ruined. These resulted in bibliography gaps and lack of archival material. The scarce scientific information for the understanding of the materials used by the post-Byzantine artists during the 18th–19th century, with the only exception being the artists’ manuals and the absence of identified paintings led to the use of analytical techniques in order to answer questions that the History of Art could not answer. The study was focused on four paintings of the temple of Saint George of Petroutsos in Zakynthos, which has been moved after the destruction of the church due to the earthquake of 1953 to the Church of Ascension in the centre of Zakynthos. As well, the paintings that were examined were separated from the temple and today are exhibited in the Museum of Zakynthos.