THE ‘CRUCIFIED AND DEPOSED CHRIST’ OF MUSEO DIOCESANO OF PALERMO, ITALY. SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF A SICILIAN PAPIER-MȂSCHÉ POLYCHROME SCULPTURE

Abstract

In this paper we describe scientific investigations on the artwork ‘Crucified and deposed Christ’ from the Diocesan Museum of Palermo. Multidisciplinary studies were carried out to obtain interesting information about constitutive materials and executive techniques of XVIII century Sicilian papier mâsché, as well as about the sculpture state of conservation and the recognition of the previous treatments.Examination of the polychrome sculpture was both non-invasive (IRR, IRC, UV fluorescence, EDXRF spectroscopy X-Radiography) and micro invasive (optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy SEM-EDX).SEM-EDX results showed the use of materials like organic membrane and vegetal fibres and allowed to identify preparatory and painting layers. XRF analysis was used for implementing identification of the detected pigments. The presence of homogenous layer in the entire surface has been investigated with UV light radiation and analysed by HPLC Chromatography.On artwork surface have also been performed sampling by sterile swabs and in vitro cultures to verify the presence of microbial colonization, as well as enzymatic cleaning assays (Protease) achieved to remove protein undesired layer