An integrated approach to the study of a reworked painting “Madonna with child” attributed to Pietro Lorenzetti

The painting “Madonna with Child”, attributed to Pietro Lorenzetti (14th century) and reworked around the middle of the 16th century, was studied by several techniques in order to characterize the materials used in the original and in the repainted areas. FORS, light microscopy, ESEM-EDX, ToF-SIMS and GC-MS were used. Red ochre and raw sienna earth were identified by FORS in the original parts of the painting. On the repainted parts of the panel, cinnabar, ultramarine blue and lead white were found. By means of GC-MS and ToF-SIMS measurements it was possible to identify the organic binding media used in the preparatory and painted layers.