Discovering "The Italian Flag" by Fernando Melani (1907-1985).

In the occasion of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the founding of Italy (1861-2011), it was decided to analyse the artwork "The Italian Flag" (La Bandiera Italiana) created by the artist Fernando Melani (Pistoia, 1907-1985), one of the precursors of the Poor Art artistic movement in Italy. This project is a follow-up to a previous study which was mainly focused on the pigments and dyes found in his home-studio. The main goal of this paper is to identify a correct diagnostic plan, based on the use of a combination of non-invasive and micro-invasive methodologies, in order to determine the state of preservation and define the best conservation procedures for a contemporary artwork. Visible, infrared and infrared false colour images as well as the Fibre Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) technique were applied in situ to analyse The Italian Flag. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and micro-Raman spectroscopies, Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (Py-GC/MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Arrays Detection (HPLC-DAD) and Mass Spectrometric Detection (HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF) were all applied to three small samples detached from the three painted (green-blue, white and red-yellow, respectively) areas of the flag. The combination of the data obtained with all these techniques made possible a comprehensive understanding of both the chemical composition and physical behaviour of the materials used by the artist and supported curators in defining the preventive conservation of this artwork.

The Colors of Keith Haring: A Spectroscopic Study on the Materials of the Mural Painting Tuttomondo and on Reference Contemporary Outdoor Paints.

To date, little attention has been given to the scientific investigation of modern and contemporary mural paintings. This paper reports on: (1) the in situ spectroscopic analyses of the mural Tuttomondo (1989) painted by Keith Haring (1958-1990) in Pisa (Italy); and (2) the laboratory characterization of acrylic paints produced by Caparol Italy GmbH & Co., the original supplier of paint materials to the artist for the mural. Ultraviolet (UV), visible (Vis), and near-infrared (NIR) fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) measurements were carried out in situ. The Caparol paint samples were characterized using benchtop instrumentation including both dispersive and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR; with sample pre-treatment to remove filler interference in the fingerprint region), and UV-Vis-NIR FORS. This combined analytical approach confirmed that the materials used by Haring for the mural Tuttomondo have the same composition of the new Caparol acrylic paints, except for the case of the yellow pigment. This information offers valuable documentation for the materials history and for the conservation of a mural painting that is considered the last great public work by Haring.

Comparative study of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in transmission, attenuated total reflection, and total reflection modes for the analysis of plastics in the cultural heritage field.

This study was completed within the framework of two research projects dealing with the conservation of contemporary artworks. The first is the Seventh Framework Project (FP7) of the European Union, Preservation of Plastic ARTefacts in Museum Collections (POPART), spanning years 2008-2012, and the second is the Italian project funded by the Tuscan Region, Preventive Conservation of Contemporary Art (Conservazione Preventiva dell'Arte Contemporanea (COPAC)), spanning 2011-2013. Both of these programs pointed out the great importance of having noninvasive and portable analytical techniques that can be used to investigate and characterize modern and contemporary artworks, especially those consisting of synthetic polymers. Indeed, despite the extensive presence of plastics in museum collections, there is still a lack of analytical tools for identifying, characterizing, and setting up adequate conservation strategies for these materials. In this work, the potentials of in situ and noninvasive Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, implemented by means of portable devices that operate in reflection mode, are investigated with a view to applying the results in large-scale surveys of plastic objects in museums. To this end, an essential prerequisite are the reliability of spectral data acquired in situ and the availability of spectral databases acquired from reference materials. A collection of polymeric samples, which are available commercially as ResinKit, was analyzed to create a reference spectral archive. All the spectra were recorded using three FT-IR configurations: transmission (trans), attenuated total reflection (ATR), and total reflection (TR). A comparative evaluation of the data acquired using the three instrumental configurations is presented, together with an evaluation of the similarity percentages and a discussion of the critical cases.

The artists' materials of Fernando Melani: a precursor of the Poor Art artistic movement in Italy.

A comprehensive understanding of both the chemical composition and physical behaviour of modern materials is an important consideration in devising correct conservation treatments for contemporary artworks. To this end, national and international research projects and networks have been established that deal mainly with the preservation, conservation, and understanding of materials used by contemporary artists. This paper focuses on the self-taught artist Fernando Melani (1907-1985), one of the precursors of the Poor Art artistic movement in Italy, and for the first time provides a scientific viewpoint on the artist's materials and works. The analyses, which mainly focus on the pigments/dyes found in his home-studio, were carried out primarily by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared Fibre Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis-NIR FORS). This paper emphasises the performance of FT-IR and FORS in the identification of contemporary artistic materials, since these two techniques have been found to produce highly complementary data. The use of both of these was required in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the composition of Melani's materials. Furthermore, one of his artworks, named by Melani himself with its inventory number N. Inv. 2625 (1981), was investigated in situ with the sole use of the FORS technique. The results showed that Melani used traditional inorganic pigments as well as modern organic dyes. Calcite and barite were used as fillers and extenders. Sulphur and abrasive powder were also found, thus confirming his use of a large variety of non-conventional artists' materials.