Paola Ricciardi | University of Cambridge (original) (raw)
Papers by Paola Ricciardi
Heritage Science, 2022
A previous preliminary study of 15th-century Venetian manuscript fragments by the Master of the M... more A previous preliminary study of 15th-century Venetian manuscript fragments by the Master of the Murano Gradual identified the presence of cobalt in many ultramarine blue areas, suggesting the presence of smalt. This would represent an early use of this glassy pigment in Venetian illuminated manuscripts. Whereas sampling has been used to identify smalt in 15th century paintings, only non-invasive methods can be used on manuscripts due to their small size and fragile nature. Here we investigated four non-invasive analysis techniques to identify small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine, including single-point and scanning XRF spectroscopy, UV–vis-NIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), Raman spectroscopy, and external reflection FT-IR spectroscopy. This was done by studying paint mock-ups of ultramarine and smalt mixtures with and without the presence of a white pigment on parchment. The results showed molecular spectroscopy techniques (reflectance, Raman, and FTIR) requ...
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Studies in Conservation, 2015
Using the MOLAB® non-invasive analytical mobile laboratory, we studied a finely illuminated sixte... more Using the MOLAB® non-invasive analytical mobile laboratory, we studied a finely illuminated sixteenth-century Persian manuscript at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK, in collaboration with its Department of Manuscripts and Printed Books. Three miniatures belonging to the manuscript, but ascribable to different periods, were analyzed in order to identify similarities and differences in the painting materials and techniques used by Safavid artists over a period of 150 years. The use of multiple analytical techniques indicated a common palette characterizing the three decorative schemes, along with some differences mainly regarding the pigment mixture used to obtain brown hues in the first scheme, as well as the presence of different mixtures in green and dark purple areas in the third scheme.
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Microchemical Journal, 2016
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<div class="eventBoxedTex... more <div class="eventBoxedText"><strong>Due Dates:</strong> <br/><br/>Abstract (500 words) and Summary (200 words): <strong>19 July 2010</strong> <br/><br/>Manuscript for Post-Meeting Proceedings:
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ArchéoSciences, 2005
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Talanta, 2016
Identification of the techniques employed by artists, e.g. mixing and layering of paints, if used... more Identification of the techniques employed by artists, e.g. mixing and layering of paints, if used together with information about their colour palette and style, can help to attribute works of art with more confidence. In this study, we show how the pigment composition in binary paint mixtures can be quantified using optical-reflectance spectroscopy, by analysis of the peak features corresponding to colour-transition edges in the first-derivative spectra. This technique is found to be more robust than a number of other spectral-analysis methods, which can suffer due to shifts in the transition edges in mixed paints compared to those observed in spectra of pure ones. Our method also provides a means of distinguishing paint mixtures from layering in some cases. The spectroscopy also shows the presence of multiple electronic transitions, accessible within a narrow energy range, to be a common feature of many coloured pigments, which electronic-structure calculations attribute to shallow band edges. We also demonstrate the successful application of the reflectance-analysis technique to painted areas on a selection of medieval illuminated manuscripts.
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Riassunto Il progetto di ricerca archeometrica relativo alla produzione ceramica del sito neoliti... more Riassunto Il progetto di ricerca archeometrica relativo alla produzione ceramica del sito neolitico di Sammardenchia (UD) ha finora interessato reperti provenienti dalla struttura 153 (prima metà del V millennio a.C.). Gli obiettivi principali delle analisi sono l'approfondimento delle conoscenze relative alla presenza di materiale ceramico importato e/o prodotto in loco, e la caratterizzazione della tecnologia di produzione. Le indagini preliminari sui 18 campioni selezionati hanno evidenziato una discreta omogeneità di composizione chimica degli impasti, cui si accompagna una certa eterogeneità micro-strutturale (dimensioni e forma dei vacuoli, presenza di inclusioni grossolane). Saranno condotte ulteriori indagini volte alla caratterizzazione dei sedimenti argillosi locali, oltre ad analisi più approfondite tese, ad esempio, ad identificare l'origine dei pori quadrangolari osservati in molti campioni. Abstract From the raw clay to the pot: the technology of pottery in the...
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Solid State Ionics
Ancient to modern glass used for stained glass windows, representative of the main composition ty... more Ancient to modern glass used for stained glass windows, representative of the main composition types (Ca-rich, Na- and Ca-rich and K-rich) were treated with boiling concentrated H2SO4 (338 °C) and/or in molten NaOH (320 °C, with or without water addition). Subsequent annealings in air or in molten KNO3 (334 °C) were also performed. Microstructures and corrosion habits were analysed by optical microscopy. Modifications of the silicate network and corrosion products were studied by Raman and IR spectroscopies, dilatometry, microhardness, and TGA. Only K-rich silicate glasses are drastically modified by concentrated sulphuric acid. The alkali leaching takes place in three steps: i) K+–H+ (not H3O+) exchange, partly reversible, inducing glass contraction and cracking, ii) a complete, irreversible H+/K+ ion exchange, iii) a (small) hydration of the formed porous, multicracked lixiviated silica-rich solid crust. The thermal treatment of the crust induces a water loss (~0.6 wt.% at
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Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2014
ABSTRACT Understanding the composition of the paints used on works of art is crucial in attributi... more ABSTRACT Understanding the composition of the paints used on works of art is crucial in attributing them to the artist or workshop that created them, as well as to devising strategies for their preservation and restoration. Much current research is focussed on the development of non-invasive spectroscopic methods, enabling in situ paint analysis without the need for sampling. However, whilst a lot of work has been carried out on looking at the composition of artists' materials qualitatively, little has been performed to analyse them quantitatively. In this work, we investigate the use of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy, in isolation and in conjunction with complementary fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy, to look at the spectral changes that occur with varying the paint/binder ratio in model historic lead-based paints. When used in conjunction with multivariate analysis, we demonstrate that it can be possible to obtain a semi-quantitative estimation of the composition of a paint film from its Fourier transform Raman spectrum, given a set of suitable reference spectra recorded from paints produced within the workable mixture range. This represents a tentative first step towards a semi-automated and quantitative method for analysing cultural heritage objects, which may help boost our understanding of their history, and enable conservators to make more informed decisions so as to ensure their preservation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Chalmers/Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy in Forensic Science, 2012
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Organic Geochemistry, 2008
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Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 2013
ABSTRACT This study combines site-specific in situ analytical techniques with non-site-specific r... more ABSTRACT This study combines site-specific in situ analytical techniques with non-site-specific reflectance imaging spectroscopy and multispectral infrared reflectography to characterize pigments and underdrawing materials in fragile, light-sensitive illuminated manuscripts. In situ methods implemented in this study included fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence, as well as multispectral visible and near-infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy and multispectral infrared reflectography. Imaging spectroscopy was used to map areas having similar diffuse reflectance spectra, and the site-specific methods were used to further identify the primary pigments present. This combined approach was used to examine an illumination by Lorenzo Monaco (ca. 1370–1422 or after) and his workshop on the Praying Prophet, in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC (NGA), from an early-15th-century gradual on parchment (codex H74) currently at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. The combination of the results along with microscopic examination led to a more complete understanding of the working methods used to create the Praying Prophet, including the primary pigments present and the two forms of underdrawing, ink and metalpoint. These results also allowed for a comparative examination of the primary pigments used in 13 other folios in codex H74. Multispectral infrared reflectography imaging and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy confirmed that the primary pigments and preparatory drawing used in the NGA folio were consistent with those used in the other folios.
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Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2000
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Journal of Archaeological Science, 2009
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This work presents an update on the research work that is being carried out towards the establish... more This work presents an update on the research work that is being carried out towards the establishment of a database and of an experimental protocol for the Raman analysis of porcelain. Several studies published since 2001 have in fact demonstrated how the ...
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ndt.net
In the past few years a comprehensive interdisciplinary study has been undertaken on some excavat... more In the past few years a comprehensive interdisciplinary study has been undertaken on some excavation fragments of 18th century porcelain from Capodimonte (Naples, Italy). The Capodimonte manufacture has had a very peculiar history; this makes ...
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Analytical Methods, 2013
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Heritage Science, 2022
A previous preliminary study of 15th-century Venetian manuscript fragments by the Master of the M... more A previous preliminary study of 15th-century Venetian manuscript fragments by the Master of the Murano Gradual identified the presence of cobalt in many ultramarine blue areas, suggesting the presence of smalt. This would represent an early use of this glassy pigment in Venetian illuminated manuscripts. Whereas sampling has been used to identify smalt in 15th century paintings, only non-invasive methods can be used on manuscripts due to their small size and fragile nature. Here we investigated four non-invasive analysis techniques to identify small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine, including single-point and scanning XRF spectroscopy, UV–vis-NIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), Raman spectroscopy, and external reflection FT-IR spectroscopy. This was done by studying paint mock-ups of ultramarine and smalt mixtures with and without the presence of a white pigment on parchment. The results showed molecular spectroscopy techniques (reflectance, Raman, and FTIR) requ...
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Studies in Conservation, 2015
Using the MOLAB® non-invasive analytical mobile laboratory, we studied a finely illuminated sixte... more Using the MOLAB® non-invasive analytical mobile laboratory, we studied a finely illuminated sixteenth-century Persian manuscript at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK, in collaboration with its Department of Manuscripts and Printed Books. Three miniatures belonging to the manuscript, but ascribable to different periods, were analyzed in order to identify similarities and differences in the painting materials and techniques used by Safavid artists over a period of 150 years. The use of multiple analytical techniques indicated a common palette characterizing the three decorative schemes, along with some differences mainly regarding the pigment mixture used to obtain brown hues in the first scheme, as well as the presence of different mixtures in green and dark purple areas in the third scheme.
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Microchemical Journal, 2016
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<div class="eventBoxedTex... more <div class="eventBoxedText"><strong>Due Dates:</strong> <br/><br/>Abstract (500 words) and Summary (200 words): <strong>19 July 2010</strong> <br/><br/>Manuscript for Post-Meeting Proceedings:
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ArchéoSciences, 2005
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Talanta, 2016
Identification of the techniques employed by artists, e.g. mixing and layering of paints, if used... more Identification of the techniques employed by artists, e.g. mixing and layering of paints, if used together with information about their colour palette and style, can help to attribute works of art with more confidence. In this study, we show how the pigment composition in binary paint mixtures can be quantified using optical-reflectance spectroscopy, by analysis of the peak features corresponding to colour-transition edges in the first-derivative spectra. This technique is found to be more robust than a number of other spectral-analysis methods, which can suffer due to shifts in the transition edges in mixed paints compared to those observed in spectra of pure ones. Our method also provides a means of distinguishing paint mixtures from layering in some cases. The spectroscopy also shows the presence of multiple electronic transitions, accessible within a narrow energy range, to be a common feature of many coloured pigments, which electronic-structure calculations attribute to shallow band edges. We also demonstrate the successful application of the reflectance-analysis technique to painted areas on a selection of medieval illuminated manuscripts.
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Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
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Riassunto Il progetto di ricerca archeometrica relativo alla produzione ceramica del sito neoliti... more Riassunto Il progetto di ricerca archeometrica relativo alla produzione ceramica del sito neolitico di Sammardenchia (UD) ha finora interessato reperti provenienti dalla struttura 153 (prima metà del V millennio a.C.). Gli obiettivi principali delle analisi sono l'approfondimento delle conoscenze relative alla presenza di materiale ceramico importato e/o prodotto in loco, e la caratterizzazione della tecnologia di produzione. Le indagini preliminari sui 18 campioni selezionati hanno evidenziato una discreta omogeneità di composizione chimica degli impasti, cui si accompagna una certa eterogeneità micro-strutturale (dimensioni e forma dei vacuoli, presenza di inclusioni grossolane). Saranno condotte ulteriori indagini volte alla caratterizzazione dei sedimenti argillosi locali, oltre ad analisi più approfondite tese, ad esempio, ad identificare l'origine dei pori quadrangolari osservati in molti campioni. Abstract From the raw clay to the pot: the technology of pottery in the...
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Solid State Ionics
Ancient to modern glass used for stained glass windows, representative of the main composition ty... more Ancient to modern glass used for stained glass windows, representative of the main composition types (Ca-rich, Na- and Ca-rich and K-rich) were treated with boiling concentrated H2SO4 (338 °C) and/or in molten NaOH (320 °C, with or without water addition). Subsequent annealings in air or in molten KNO3 (334 °C) were also performed. Microstructures and corrosion habits were analysed by optical microscopy. Modifications of the silicate network and corrosion products were studied by Raman and IR spectroscopies, dilatometry, microhardness, and TGA. Only K-rich silicate glasses are drastically modified by concentrated sulphuric acid. The alkali leaching takes place in three steps: i) K+–H+ (not H3O+) exchange, partly reversible, inducing glass contraction and cracking, ii) a complete, irreversible H+/K+ ion exchange, iii) a (small) hydration of the formed porous, multicracked lixiviated silica-rich solid crust. The thermal treatment of the crust induces a water loss (~0.6 wt.% at
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Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2014
ABSTRACT Understanding the composition of the paints used on works of art is crucial in attributi... more ABSTRACT Understanding the composition of the paints used on works of art is crucial in attributing them to the artist or workshop that created them, as well as to devising strategies for their preservation and restoration. Much current research is focussed on the development of non-invasive spectroscopic methods, enabling in situ paint analysis without the need for sampling. However, whilst a lot of work has been carried out on looking at the composition of artists' materials qualitatively, little has been performed to analyse them quantitatively. In this work, we investigate the use of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy, in isolation and in conjunction with complementary fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy, to look at the spectral changes that occur with varying the paint/binder ratio in model historic lead-based paints. When used in conjunction with multivariate analysis, we demonstrate that it can be possible to obtain a semi-quantitative estimation of the composition of a paint film from its Fourier transform Raman spectrum, given a set of suitable reference spectra recorded from paints produced within the workable mixture range. This represents a tentative first step towards a semi-automated and quantitative method for analysing cultural heritage objects, which may help boost our understanding of their history, and enable conservators to make more informed decisions so as to ensure their preservation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Chalmers/Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy in Forensic Science, 2012
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Organic Geochemistry, 2008
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Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 2013
ABSTRACT This study combines site-specific in situ analytical techniques with non-site-specific r... more ABSTRACT This study combines site-specific in situ analytical techniques with non-site-specific reflectance imaging spectroscopy and multispectral infrared reflectography to characterize pigments and underdrawing materials in fragile, light-sensitive illuminated manuscripts. In situ methods implemented in this study included fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence, as well as multispectral visible and near-infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy and multispectral infrared reflectography. Imaging spectroscopy was used to map areas having similar diffuse reflectance spectra, and the site-specific methods were used to further identify the primary pigments present. This combined approach was used to examine an illumination by Lorenzo Monaco (ca. 1370–1422 or after) and his workshop on the Praying Prophet, in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC (NGA), from an early-15th-century gradual on parchment (codex H74) currently at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. The combination of the results along with microscopic examination led to a more complete understanding of the working methods used to create the Praying Prophet, including the primary pigments present and the two forms of underdrawing, ink and metalpoint. These results also allowed for a comparative examination of the primary pigments used in 13 other folios in codex H74. Multispectral infrared reflectography imaging and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy confirmed that the primary pigments and preparatory drawing used in the NGA folio were consistent with those used in the other folios.
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Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2000
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Journal of Archaeological Science, 2009
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This work presents an update on the research work that is being carried out towards the establish... more This work presents an update on the research work that is being carried out towards the establishment of a database and of an experimental protocol for the Raman analysis of porcelain. Several studies published since 2001 have in fact demonstrated how the ...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ndt.net
In the past few years a comprehensive interdisciplinary study has been undertaken on some excavat... more In the past few years a comprehensive interdisciplinary study has been undertaken on some excavation fragments of 18th century porcelain from Capodimonte (Naples, Italy). The Capodimonte manufacture has had a very peculiar history; this makes ...
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Analytical Methods, 2013
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The Telegraph, 2020
Scientific analysis with Dr Paola Ricciardi (Cambridge) revealed last-known portrait of Cromwell ... more Scientific analysis with Dr Paola Ricciardi (Cambridge) revealed last-known portrait of Cromwell prior to his execution, as well as careful manipulation of Great Bible iconic title page
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