Non-invasive multitechnique methodology applied to the study of two 14th century canvases by Lorenzo Veneziano

This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary study on two 14th century canvases attributed to Lorenzo Veneziano. In particular, two non-invasive spectroscopic techniques have been employed, imaging spectroscopy (IS) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). In order to perform the analysis in situ, the employed instruments were transportable. The purposes of this analytical approach were mainly to corroborate the authorship and to study the painting materials and execution technique of these two canvases. These two artworks are considered precious because they represent two evidences of the early use of the canvas support in this early period in the North of Italy. Since the paintings are in very delicate conditions, the principal objective of the investigations was to gather as much information as possible avoiding invasive analytical procedures. The paper discusses the potentialities and limitations of the integration of a mobile XRF spectrometer with a transportable IS device, developed to study large-sized surfaces. By means of the elemental composition given by XRF and the colourimetric data and reflectance spectra collected by IS, it has been possible to identify different materials (gypsum, azurite…) and to achieve a better understanding of the employed painting technique. The data confirm that the two canvases have been produced with painting materials and technique which are in good agreement with those of Lorenzo Veneziano. The obtained results illustrate the suitability of the integration of XRF with IS to solve similar analytical issues when sampling is not possible.