Diagnostics in Arts and Culture
Investigations of physical properties and chemical composition generate important data for answering cultural–historical questions that cannot be solved by historical and philological methods alone. In its individual materiality, each cultural asset is th
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Investigations of physical properties and chemical composition generate important data for answering cultural–historical questions that cannot be solved by historical and philological methods alone. In its individual materiality, each cultural asset is the result of a wide variety of influences (e.g. production, storage, restoration, preservation). Due to recent technological developments (e.g. miniaturization of structural units, enlargement of memory capacity), technical diagnostics in art and culture are becoming more and more coveted in such fields of transdisciplinary research.
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Introduction
The investigation of cultural objects often comprises the question of origin, dating or attribution to artists or workshops. In general, stylistic and art-historical examination in combination with the investigation of technological treatises and secondary literature is a convenient method to answer many questions. However, in many cases, it is necessary to study the physical and chemical properties of the artefacts. Mantler and Schreiner pointed out that ‘‘styles were sometimes copied at locations and periods
O. Hahn (&) Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und—prüfung, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany e-mail: [email protected]
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completely different from those of their origin’’, and therefore physico-chemical investigations ‘‘are helpful and increasingly applied to allocate an object to a particular historic or prehistoric context, to determine the correctness of the claimed provenance or to explore the technology used for manufacturing’’ [1]. Furthermore, the exposure of forgeries is becoming an increasingly important task in the field of art-historical research. Intimately, connected with archaeometric investigations are conservation and restoration studies. Historical objects that were submitted to a ‘‘restoration treatment may be investigated to distinguish original from added material’’ or to estimate the impact of restoration treatments [2]. In addition, the development of reversible restoration or conservation concepts requires knowledge of the material compositions and ageing phenomena of the artefacts. Finally, another aspect concerning preventive conservation is also important. The growing importance of physical and chemical diagnostics is reflected in a variety of journals such as ‘‘Archaeometry’’ (Blackwell Publishing), ‘‘Studies in conservation’’ (International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, IIC), ‘‘Reviews in Conservation’’ (also IIC), ‘‘Restaurator’’ (De Gruyter), ‘‘Historical Metallurgy’’ (Historical Metallurgy Society), ‘‘Metalla’’ (Deutsches Bergbau-Museum) and ‘‘Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences’’ (Springer).
H. Czichos (ed.), Handbook of Technical Diagnostics, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-25850-3_28, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
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O. Hahn
This chapter presents several techniques that were used in diagnostics in art and culture. Afterwards, some case studies will illuminate the successful use of technical diagnostics in archa
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