An uncovered XIII century icon: Particular use of organic pigments and gilding techniques highlighted by analytical methods

Abstract The restoration of a panel painting depicting a Madonna and Child listed as an unknown Tuscan artist of the nineteenth century, permitted the hidden original version, a XIII century Medieval icon to be uncovered. It is discovery provided the opportunity for an extensive in situ campaign of non-invasive analytical investigations by portable imaging and spectroscopic techniques (infrared, X-ray fluorescence and diffraction, UV–Vis absorption and emission), followed by aimed micro-destructive investigations (Raman and SEM–EDS). This approach permitted characterization of the original ground and paint layers by complementary techniques. Furthermore, this protocol allowed supplementary particularities of great interest to be highlighted. Namely, numerous original gilding techniques have been accentuated in diverse areas and include the use of surrogate gold (disulphur tin), orpiment as a further false gold and an area with an original silver rich layer. Moreover, pigments including azurite mixed with indigo have been non-invasively identified. Micro-invasive analyses also allowed the diagnosis of organic colorants, namely, an animal anthraquinone lake, kermes and an unusual vegetal chalcone pigment, possibly safflower. The identification of the latter is extremely rare as a painting pigment and has been identified using an innovative adaption to surface enhanced Raman techniques on a cross-section. The resulting data contributes new hypotheses to the historic and artistic knowledge of materials and techniques utilized in XIII century icon paintings and ultimately provides scientific technical support of the recent restoration.