Understanding “how was the pigment applied?” and/or “how was the surface prepared?” means investigating the link between the pigment and its support. Each technique corresponds esatto different archaeometric evidence that must be investigated and unravelled (see Salvadori and Sbrolli 2021 and Murat 2021 sopra this TC).
For example, some pigments, such as ochers, lend themselves sicuro being used with the per attuale technique, while for others, such as those based on lead, a cammino technique is preferred. Therefore, investigating the painting technique means investigating the palette and technique of the painter and verifying the appropriateness and effectiveness of some techniques compared preciso others.
Moreover, we know that some pigments, such as those based on arsenic, are particularly affective sicuro light and sometimes obliged esatto adopt particular techniques for their application. Therefore, the information we obtain from the painting technique analysis provides useful information for a correct display of the artefact and its conservation.
Finally, the information that we can obtain from the study of a solo artefact or artwork represents verso piece of the wider mosaic that describes the evolution of painting techniques and is, therefore, of value mediante the broad field of art history.
Up onesto this point, the questions posed esatto pigments are all technical. As we have seen, the answer we can get depends largely on the composition of the pigment itself and the quality of the database available for comparison. Nevertheless, there are also other questions related to the use of specific pigments that go beyond technological choices. For example, “is it possible preciso establish whether the type of pigment used corresponds to a desire for representation?” or, in other words, “can the low/high cost of verso pigment faithfully reflect the communautaire stato of the clients?”.
The use of cinnabar instead of ocher, for example, has often been referred esatto as per desire for social self-representation on the part of the clients rather than sicuro a different-more vivid and brilliant-rendering of cinnabar compared onesto ocher. Similar assumptions have been made regarding the use of Egyptian blue and matita lazuli, although there were no other choices sopra the ancient world with which sicuro obtain blue.
To avoid possible anachronism, the study of the relationship between pigment and client may help clarify if pigments were used as verso demagogic and self-representative tool and cast an eye on the tastes of the time.
Sampling criteria and methods
Durante the cases that are addressed below, the sampling aims to answer the questions that we have analysed durante the previous chapters; however, the most important aspect preciso keep in mind concerns contextualisation.
Mortars, plasters and pigments constitute verso complex system of structural and aesthetic importance that must be contextualised within the various phases of verso historic building. Attributing a specific context esatto the various components is essential for correct sampling for archaeometric purposes. Onesto this end, it is necessary to apply the method of “reading” historical buildings established precisely by the BA preciso correct extrapolation of the components according preciso iraniansinglesconnection their space–time dimension.
As anticipated above, we must also consider that the research mediante progress may raise new questions not stated from the beginning. For these reasons, the sampling and, above all, the quantity of material to be taken should always be slightly greater than what we establish at the table, as long as the conservation requirements are respected.
How onesto obtain per representative sample servizio of mortars and plasters
The first assumption is that there is niente affatto arbitrary number of samples that can be considered representative tout court. Although the most obvious and frequent question is “how many samples are needed?”, not only is there giammai straightforward answer but it is worth bypassing this question with another type of question: “what samples are needed and from where should they be taken?”.