ABSTRACTS DEL CONVEGNO INTERNAZIONALE DI SCIENZA E BENI CULTURALI

-anno 2002-

“I MOSAICI – Cultura, tecnologia, conservazione”

A. Campitelli

I cicli musivi di Villa Torlonia a Roma:il recupero ottocentesco di una tradizione.

In the Roman estate of Villa Torlonia, between 1830 and 1840, an interesting series of decorations was created for the floors of nine rooms in the Casino dei Principi, the Casino nobile and the theatre. These are the most significant testament to the revival of mosaic technique that took place during the period as the result of two important factors. The first was the support and relanching of the Pontificio Studio del Mosaico (Pontific Mosaic Studio), the historic institution dedicated to the teaching of mosaic technique and of mosaic production, on the part of Pope Gregory XVI. The second factor was the interest of the Villa's owner Alessandro Torlonia, who commissioned an impressive quantity of works in an effort to imitate the magnificence of the residences of the past. The author of a great number of these works was Carlo Seni, renowned mosaic artist for the Studio del Mosaico who created them using the cartoons of Giovan Battista Caretti, Luigi Cochetti and other unidentified artists. The recently restored mosaics of Villa Torlonia attest to the mastery of the workmanship both using the traditional technique of opus tessellatum as well as the more complex pictorial technique of the opus vermiculatum.

Key words: Rome, Torlonia, Pontificio Studio del Mosaico, Carlo Segni, opus tessellatum., opus vermiculatum, Giovan Battista Caretti, Luigi Cochetti.

F. Tomaselli

Evoluzione delle tecniche del restauro dei mosaici tra il XVIII e il XIX secolo.

The restauration of the mosaics in Italy between the XVII and the XIX century is exposed according to unpublished sources of file through the analysis of the techniques used in the Basilica of St. Mark to Venice and in the churches of Sicily.

They considers the cements, the materials of the mosaic, the color graphic reproduction of the residual finds and the application. Her techniques are compared with the culture of the restauration of the time.

Key-words: Restauration, mosaic, completion, substitution, imitation, falsification

A.M. Ardovino

Problemi di filologia e sviluppo della tecnica del restauro e della conoscenza delle tecniche antiche sul mosaico.

This survey relates a joint archive research and a object reading of the “Mosaico di Alessandro” from the “Casa del Fauno” in Pompeii. This survey shows how the mosaic in 1843 was remove with all preparatory layers, and transfered with them to the Museo Nazionale of Naples. In today’s layout the original stratification is still integral part with the mosaic surface. The operation happened after a dispute between two parts, one made up of sovrintendente Avellino and the famous Swiss (from Canton Ticino) architect Bianchi, the latterprefered leaving the mosaic at the Casa del Fauno, and the other of Director of Fine Arts Academy Niccolini, which wanted to take the mosaic, take it to Museum, and place it into the floor. Accordingly the author examines the ideological elements of this two different leanings, and their reflex on the safeguard of archaeological heritage.

Key-words: Alexander the Great, mosaic, archive, cut off, removal in solido, nineteenth century

A.M. Ardovino

La ricerca sulla tecnologia ottocentesca: sguardo sull'ideologia selettiva della conservazione nell'ottocento, e riflessioni per il restauro di mosaici gia restaurati. Il caso del mosaico di Alessandro di Pompei.

An ideological delay set apart the restoration of mosaics for a long time, isolating it to mosaicist craftsmanship instead of restorer technique. A new attention to philology (object readings, investigation of its constituents, conscious restitution of its historical and formal values), promoted by M. Cordaro in 1983, overcame this situation. Thanks to, starting from the lacunae integration, it is now possible to consider in the right way this three-dimensional workmanship and the original texture of each mosaic, taking care of interstices problem, that, particularly in ancient mosaics, are elements of the image that needs particular attention. These preliminary methodological remarks now wake it easier to deduce right technological studies both on the conservation “in situ”, once believed impossible to do because of a gross cultural, not technical, misunderstanding, and on the restoration of ancient mosaics that, removed from the original site, are waiting to be presented in the right way.

Key-words: Texture, mosaics, interstices, three-dimensionality, mortar, setting layer, preparation (strata), philology, way of presentation

G. Pertot

Gli interventi sui mosaici nel cantiere archeologico nelle relazioni inviate a'' notizie degli scavi di antichità''.

This paper shows results of an analytical reading of the pages of Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, the most important italian archaeological review, published until from 1876. This analytical work try to locate themes of architectonical restoration and conservation in the archaeologist’s work, and particularly in the field of mosaics’ restoration and conservation. The main aim is to suggest some hint of reflections about some differences but also about common attitudes and commonplaces in front of methodological and technical problems. Moreover, the aim is to suggest some hints just to think over some of the reasons of the deep connection between archaeology and restoration of ancient buildings in Italy.

Key Words: Archeology, Conservation, Mosaic, Restoration

C.L. Peyrani

Giacomo Raffaelli da mosaicista a restauratore nella Roma dell'Ottocento.

Giacomo Raffaelli, mosaicist, living between the XVIII and the XIX during the period of the Grand Tour in Rome was the last of a famous family of glassmaker. He dedicated his life mostly to the micro mosaics but he became a polyvalent and curious artist inventing new technique and working for restorations of historic mosaics. In the end of the XIX he was regarded as the inventor of the spinning glaze. It was a secret and he was obliged to give it away during his staying in Milan between the 1804 and the 1820 so now we can study it and understand why he was so famous. When he was back in Rome he gradually leave the production of mosaics concentrating him more on the trade of antique ones. Through this he got enormously know for the new technique he used to take away the big roman pavements.

During the reconstruction of the burned church of San Paolo in Rome he was called to work on the Galla Placidia mosaics that he detached drawing down a sort of map for the recomposition on the new wall. Even though he could not carry off this work he was proposed for a similar one in Orvieto, we got several information about this and although he was not able to do it we can understand how good was his background compared with the mosaicists from the Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro.

Key-words: Giacomo Raffaelli; micro mosaic; spinning glaze; restoration-mosaic-San Paolo; restoration-mosaic-Orvieto.

P. Pogliani

Le campiture cromatiche. Un caso esemplare: i frammenti musivi dell'Oratorio di Giovanni VII (705-707) dall'antica Basilica di San Pietro.

In the history of the realisation techniques of the mosaics an important step is represented by the discovery of an underdrawing painted on the setting-bed of the tesserae (Andaloro, 1986). It is a background fresco painting which, in the realisation of the mosaics, came immediately before the mosaic work itself. Its aim was to lead the insertion of the tesserae and to paint the setting-bed.

The mosaic fragments of the Oratorio of John VII (705–707) represent an interesting case of surviving underdrawings below the mosaic tessellated framework. Even though the mosaic surface underwent a process of complete change when the decoration was removed in the old Saint Peter’s church (1609) and during the restoration works which were carried out in different historical periods, it is still possible to identify on the setting-bed interesting painted marks in different colours. The analysis which has been carried out on the mosaic fragments has allowed retracing the general framework of the underdrawings while pointing out that the colour and the distribution of the background painting are closely linked with the function of determining the musivarius. In particular, it is possible to study how the background painting has been realised. Two possible methods can be distinguished: a one-colour background painting which was used for the bodies and the gold background; a more refined background painting in different colours which was used for the tesserae of the faces.

Key-words: mosaic, fragments, John VII , medieval , underdrawings, setting-bed painted

M. Raneri

I mosaici staccati del museo Regionale di Messina.

In Messina Regional Museum, are preserved three detached mosaics dated XIII and XIV century: the so-called Madonna of <Ciambretta>, the so-called <Head of St. Peter> and the Virgin Galaktotrophousa. Later in 1998 a fourth mosaic, representing the archangel Michael, joined the collection, which became part of the Museum in the years following the Messina earthquake. These works, coming at the beginning of the XVI century, from mediaeval religious building, were already destroyed and/or decaying and are the evidence, together with the mosaic decoration of the Messina Cathedral - corrupted now by many restorations and remakes - of the presence of high quality mosaicists which worked there, recurrently in different times, between the second half of the XIII century and the first half of the XIV century. Their architectural places of origin are different as well as extremely different are the events which determined the genesis and preservation history of these mosaics. There are, however, some common elements allowing to consider them as homogeneous, although in a fragmentary state. The fact that the four mosaic panels have been decontextualised and then put in a museum accounts for their loss of relations with the architectural space for which they were originally created and also for their loss of other formal characteristics they could not be retained; but this allowed us to analyse them fully and completely bringing out important data relating to the restorations and formal and technical characteristics of each piece.

Key-words: :Mediaeval mosaics, mosaic fragments, glass paste, mosaic restoration.

MG. Vinardi

I mosaici dell'Ottocento nelle cattedrali piemontesi.

The essay analyses the mosaics in Piedmontese Cathedrals, in the some important cities: Biella, Novara, Casale Monferrato, where we can find antique mosaics and mosaics of restauration realized during the XIX century.

It is important to underline the new realization of the mosaic floor in Biella Cathedral (second half of the XIX century), the choice of Alessandro Antonelli to deal with the great mosaic in the apse in the Novara Cathedral and the ricollocation of the Casale Monferrato Cathedral's mosaics in the choir to give value to the floor and to confirm the museal choice, operated by Edoardo Arborio Mella, who realized also the new floor.

Key-words: Mosaic, Cathedrals, Piedmont, XIX century, constructive techniques, conservation

L. Re

Mosaici e architetture fra otto e novecento.

The essay explains some observations about complementarities between construction and mosaic decoration on floors and walls in Piedmontese architecture between XIXth and XXth century. There, mosaics became important following of the French realizations influence by the works of some craftmen native of Friuli and the approval got by Charles Garnier. And this art has developed with a great production in the first years of the XXth century. The essay also deals with the conflicts, the heavy usage and the risks connected to these precious elements in the works for adapting the buildings to the emerging needs.

Key-words: Mosaic, Piedmont, XIXth & XXth Century

C. Di Francesco, M. Mapelli

Mosaici a ciottoli nei Ninfei Lombardi.

The so-called “Pebble mosaic” of the Nimphaeas is an artistic expression which is typical of a geographical place and very specific historical period. That is Lombardy of the secular nobility from late ‘500 to late ‘700. We are now facing a new particular conception of the mosaic which belongs to the cultural context of the rediscovery of the classical period and it is directly connected with an architectonical kind known as the nimphaea-environment. It’s different from rocailles and more common floor mosaic composed of polychrome natural pebbles. While the traditional mosaic makes way for painting, the “pebble mosaic”, made in black and white and often painted with tempera tecnique, reaches a surprising high-level of autonomy and creative vitality.

The research consists of some architectonical examples from an historical-artistic point of view. The technical aspect is deeply examined with the study of Palazzo Arese Borromeo in Cesano Maderno (Milano).

Key-words: Pebble; Mosaic; Nimphaea; Lombard Art; Cesano Maderno.

Z.H. Tokay Avinal, E. Pinar Doğu

The tile mosaic technique in Anatolian Seljuk and Ottoman architecture.

Anatolian Seljuk Dynasty was founded after the Malazgirt War in 1071 as a result of great migrations and Turkoman raids who had run away from the raid of Mongols in Anatolia and spread out to whole Anatolia in a short time. In the 13^th century they started to produce some monumental buildings. They were also inspired by the Middle Asian, Iranian and Near East architecture. By welding those with the Islamic architecture, art, culture and Anatolian tradition, they created a taste of an individual architecture of their own and built innumerable works of art.

Anatolian tiles art developed in the 13^th century when Seljuk architecture reached its highest point. During this period many buildings were adorned with tiles, tile mosaics and glazed bricks. In the 14^th century by the beginning of the Period of Emirates in Anatolia, decoration with tiles has become a secondary consideration due to the search of novelty in architecture and the Anatolian Seljuk tradition that could be seen in existing buildings was very limited. The second phase of Anatolian tiles art can be examined in the early Ottoman architecture. By the end of the 14^th century İznik and in the 15^th century Kütahya became the new centres of tile production. They produced tiles in different styles and techniques and used them to decorate the Ottoman buildings. Tiles have become the major embellishment in Ottoman architecture between the 15^th- 17^th centuries and were applied to various civil and religious buildings.

KEY-WORDS: Seljuk, Emirates, Early Ottoman, Mosaic, Brick, Glazed Brick, Tile, Mosaic Tile

L. Accurti, GL. Nicola, F. Gagliardi

L'attività inedita di mosaicisti astigiani tra architettura e arti decorative: protagonisti e produzione nei secoli XIX-XX.

Surely Piemonte is not well known for its mosaics, like ancient Rome, or far its floors called "seminato", like Veneto.

Nevertheless, its possible to find a few examples showing how this tradition settled down in very ancient times in this region too: roman mosaics discovered in Turin, or medieval manufacts excavated in Aosta.

The most interesting age concerning this technique, however, is to be found here between the second half of the XVIII century and the beginning of the XX century, when we can found lots of examples of mosaics, among which we are going to show those examined in the area of Asti.

In addition, some tools, materials , ancient notebooks found in the area of Aramengo and Cocconato, that belonged to three brothers , artists in mosaic, together with the tales of members of their family, witness a deep culture and material ability concerning their technique in making this kind of crafts.

Key-words: Mosaics, Asti

MG. D'Amelio

La tecnica degli smalti tagliati da Alessio Mattioli per lo studio del mosaico della Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro.

Since the first decades of the 1600's the substitution of the paintings is programmed from the Fabbrica di San Pietro on the altars of the basilica Vatican with copies in mosaic, less subject to the damages inducted by the rising humidity in the walls. Of such enterprise the Studio del Mosaico Vaticano is taken care, that it must resolve technical and managerial problems like constant supplying of tesserae glassy from the "perlieri" of Murano. In order to exceed such difficulty they experiences numerous processes to produce the enamel glass; between the many it detaches that one devised, in 1731, from Alessio Mattioli, called “degli smalti tagliati” you and from which mosaic “minuto” of closely roman tradition derives. It allows to obtain opaque elements, with a range of tens of thousand shadings regarding the seven colors base, than they reveal more adapted of tesserae glassy to reply paintings faithfully. This contribution means to reconstruct, beyond to the extraordinary organization of the Study of the Mosaic of Saint Peter, the procedure devised from the Mattioli and its numerous ones varying operated from other “mosaicisti sampietrini” like Antonio Aguatti or Giuseppe Mattia. Moreover, it means to characterize the eventual differences of the maintenance methods and of conservation of the mosaics realized with enamels cut regarding those with traditional tesserae glassy.

Key-words: Rome, Fabbrica di San Pietro, Vatican Mosaic Studio, Enamel glass, Glassmakes.

A.M. Ardovino, E. Gagetti, S. Masseroli

Bilancio di cinque anni di impiego di una scheda come strumento conoscitivo di tecnologie esecutive e successioni di restauri.

For the archaeologist to know better the execution technologies of mosaics and recognize old restorations (that are not often supplied with documentary evidence but, on the contrary, give an image of the object that could mislead the scholar) is quite necessary, both as a preliminary to iconographical, functional and chronological analysis, and as a prerequisite to lead new restorations consciously. As an instrument for such knowledge, in 1996 we worked out a form - not a relational, but a cognitive one –which we experimentally used in the study of about seventy Roman mosaics from Cremona, Brescia and Bergamo. The mosaics can be either recently discovered and even still in situ, or well known for a long time, removed from the original place, kept in a museum and restored. The results we obtained are explained by case studies. By the systematical employment of our form we succeeded in recognizing, by autoptical examination only, possible cut lines and, therefore, the technique by which the mosaic was taken up, and to detect integrations in lacunae, which can be divided into primary and secundary. The specific character of modern restorations is the mimetic remake: integrations can be detected on the basis of colour and granulometry of mortar and level, physical characters and density of the tesserae. As to ancient techonologies, from preparation strata, almost always removed, we cannot obtain so much information as from the way of laying the tesserae down, which teaches us about different patterns for frames and fillings of monochrome areas, borders in proximity of walls or sills, ancient reparations.

KEY-WORDS: philological-conservative form; ancient execution technologies of mosaic; restoration; lacunae integration.

C. Angeletti, F. Guidobaldi

Frammenti di lastre da opus sectile come materiale di scavo: criteri di individuazione, classificazione ed edizione.

Many fragments of marble or stone tiles are normally found in the excavations as residual materials; they come generally from the wall and floor revetments, that we usually call opus sectile. Those artifacts (or more frequently, the fragments of them) can be very significant for understanding the qualitative level of the building to which they pertain. Unfortunately, however, little attention is dedicated to them in the classification and registration of archeological material: in fact, in many cases, they are included in the class of “marbles and stones”, which contains also the sculpture fragments and those of architectural elements, with a consequent lost of details. In order to avoid this lost a new and specific method of classification for tiles and fragments of tiles in marble or stone is here proposed and discussed.

Key-words: Marble, Stone, Revetments, Opus sectile, Architectural decoration, Archaeology.

S. Giudice, M. Valentini

L'emblema della Domus di MA. Castricius a Pompei (VII, 16,17): problemi di conservazione.

n.d.

P. Moioli, C. Pelosi, P. Pogliani, C. Seccaroni

Il mosaico parietale negli ambienti sotterranei di San Martino ai Monti a Roma. Caratterizzazione dei materiali costitutivi e delle tecniche di esecuzione.

According to the methodological path, experimented with the VI century mosaic of San Martino ai Monti in Rome, the analytical and scientific group took a photographic documentation and carried out some analysis for the characterization of the materials and techniques. The study was undertaken using a combination of both non-destructive analytical methodologies and samplings of mortar and tesserae fragments. The chemical composition of the glass mosaic tesserae (colouring agents, opacifiers, stabilizers, etc.) was achieved through the use of X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The study of the setting beds, the underdrawings, possible damages and modifications were undertaken by means of a video-microscope connected to an image analyser. The study was completed with an examination of the tesserae of the Barberinian mosaic with the aim to make a comparison of the two mosaics. The XRF analysis confirmed the composition difference observed macroscopically.

Key-words: Medieval mosaic, glass paste, mortars, underdrawings, X-ray fluorescence, microscopy

E. Anselmi, P. Bianchetti, M. Bonelli, G. Capponi, R. Ciabattoni,C. D'Angelo, MG. Gorini, V. Massa, A. Rubino, P. Santopadre, S. Tagliacozzi

Il mosaico pelagiano di San Lorenzo fuori le mura a Roma. Studio degli strati e dei materiali preparatori.

The mosaic of the triumphal arch of the basilica of S. Lorenzo in Rome has caused, among historians, an intense debate about the date, the presence of different hands and different executive phases. A nucleus of figures, dated with relative certanty to the period of Pelagius II (579-590) includes images of the pope, of St. Laurence and probably St. Hippolitus.

A second group of figures (St. Peter, St. Paul, Christ, St. Steven) differs profoundly m style, dimensions and disposition of the tesserae. Without entering into the complex art historical debate which surrounds the argument, the aim here is to present results of observations and scientific analysis undertaken during the recent restoration of the mosaic conducted by ICR as part of that institution's course of specialization in the conservation and restoration of stone and mosaics.

Using gaps in the surface of the mosaic, holes made during previous operations of consolidation and those done specifically for this purpose, the materials that compose the support layers were studied, first visually and then by mineralogical-petrographical analysis and videoendoscopical exam. All this has brought forward the conclusion that the two above mentioned zones of the mosaic rest on different preparatory layers and therefore are the result of different interventions and realized at different times.

Key-words: mosaics, materials, tecniques, stratigraphical analysis, video endoscopy, executive phases

G. Bitossi, F. Fratini, F. Lotti, M. Mauro, B. Salvador

Indagine sullo stato di degrado e sulla tecnica di fabbricazione della decorazione a mosaico di un fonte battesimale.

The aim of this work was to analyse an earthenware font by Manifattura di Signa of the end of 19th century. The object, cylindrical shaped, shows a decoration in all its lateral surface constituted by modelled, geometric figures on a glazed mosaic background. We was interested in determining the different materials, the executive technique and the kind of degradation present. The instrumental measurements used were: Optical Microscopy on thin- and cross-sections (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive detection of X-rays (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Calcimetric Analysis (CA).

Key-word: earthenware, enamel, interstitial mortar, modelled, glazing, degradation.

R.Bertoncello, G.Biscontin, E. Croce, L. Milanese, L. Saragoni, E. Zendri

I mosaici della basilica di S. Marco a Venezia: indagini sui processi di distacco delle tessere vitree dal supporto.

There are many published works about chemical characterisation of glass tesserae from various churches and basilicas. Most of them investigate only on the way of production and on dying agents, while in the present work the problem of tesserae detachment from the wall has been investigated. This problems is very relevant in the mosaics of the famous St. Marco’s Basilica in Venice.

To study these phenomena some tesserae and some samples of wall connected to the tesserae have been characterised by several analytical techniques: ESEM-EDS (Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive Spectrometer), XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), FT-IR (Fourier Trasformed-Infra Red) spectroscopy, and DSC-TG (Differential Scanning Calorimetry-TermoGravimetry).

The results obtained show that the lime pasted to the tesserae is made of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, but at the interface tessera-lime there are several crystalline aggregates of NaCl, KCl and lower values of gypsum. The salts are probably responsible of the detachment of tesserae from the wall.

Key-words: St. Marco’s mosaics, chemical analyses, adhesion tesserae-wall problems, interfaces.

M. Nicola, M. Gomez Serito, A. Masic

Caratterizzazione dei materiali, problematiche di degrado e conservazione: indagini su alcuni mosaici astigiani dei sec. XIX-XX.

La caratterizzazione dei manufatti usati nella produzione musiva dei tre fratelli Guglielmo, Domenico e Francesco Nicola, mosaicisti vissuti a cavallo tra il XIX e il XX secolo ad Aramengo (AT), ma operanti anche a Parigi, viene effettuata sulla base dell’esame diretto dei manufatti finiti e di tessere sciolte conservate nell’antico laboratorio. Lo studio, consistente nell’analisi petrografica di tessere lapidee e chimica di materiali impiegati nelle fasi di montaggio, è finalizzato a identificarne la natura compositiva e la provenienza. I risultati conseguiti, in particolare delle indagini sulle fonti di approvvigionamento dei materiali lapidei servono a verifica delle testimonianze orali raccolte.

Per quanto concerne i fenomeni di degrado, i danni provocati a manufatti da un violento incendio che nel 1996 ha parzialmente distrutto casa e laboratorio di uno dei tre fratelli, vengono studiati per confronto con manufatti della stessa bottega conservati in modo ottimale.

Key-words: Stone mosaic; Stone and marble identification; France; Piedmont; Fire Damage

A. Moropoulou, A. Bakolas, M. Giannoulaki, M. Karoglou

Characterization of the dome mosaics in Hagia Sofia of Costantinople

In this research, samples of setting bed and intermediate mortars and glass tesserae from the dome mosaics of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople were investigated. The samples were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), simultaneous thermal analysis (DTA/TG), calcimetry, grain size analysis, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with chemical microanalysis (EDX) and classical chemical analysis.

The results indicate that the setting bed and the intermediate mortars present different technological characteristics. The production technology of the glass tesserae resembles the Byzantine technology of these materials. In addition, the investigation of the decorative foil of the glass tesserae identifies the presence of an alloy, mainly composed of zinc and copper, which imitates a silver foil.

Key- words: Mosaics, Hagia Sophia, bending mortars, glass tesserae

MC. Muscolino, A. Alberti, N. Santopuoli, C. Tedeschi

Mosaici ravennati: esperienze e studi su campionatura cromatica delle tessere e nuove metodologie di integrazione delle lacune.

This article is based on the analysis of the issues connected with lacunae integration and it states the results of the academic experiences carried on at “ Scuola per il Restauro del Mosaico” (Mosaic Restoration School) and of the activities carried out on wall mosaics at Galla Placidia and Neone Baptistery.

The aims of the experiences were the following:

· Recognizing the integrations by means of multispectral analysis: lacunae integrations can be easily recognized by means of non-invasive and extensive techniques as reflectography and telefotometry. The integrations were performed with synthetic-made tesserae or with cuts from hydraulic lime and calcium carbonate slabs, subsequently painted and matched in colour with the surrounding tesserae.

· Defining a reference colour chart in order to create a colorimetrical database which could prove useful to determine marked and objective parameters to be used in restoration interventions and in monitoring the tesserae decay process.

· Experimenting techniques of lacunae integration by means of new synthetic materials.

Key-words: Galla Placidia - Neone Baptistery - lacunae integrations - multispectral analysis - color - synthetic materials

S. Gizzi

I mosaici di Villa Adriana. Appunti sulla dispersione di un patrimonio e sulla storia dei loro restauri nel XX secolo: errori ed omissioni.

n.d.

G.Raddi delle Ruote, L. Rocchi, F. Attardo, S. Frizzi, C. Martinelli, F. Toso, S. Bracci, F. Fratini, C. Lalli, M. Matteini, S. Porcinai, I. Tosini

Restauro e approfondimenti nella conoscenza di opere musive: il mosaico di S. Frediano a Lucca.

The restoration of a portion of the mosaic, made by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure during the years 2000-2001 gave the opportunity to study the different mortars that are present on the mosaic of the façade of S. Frediano church in Lucca (XIII century) in order to identify materials and technologies utilized for the realization and for the interventions that have been made on the mosaic during the centuries. The original mortars appear to be realized with lime binder and a small quantity of aggregate. A particular mixture composed by calcium hydroxide and aged linseed oil was also recognised in two samples; its compositional similarity with mortars coming from the chorus of the “Gerarchie Angeliche “ (Baptistery of Florence) and from the Apse of the Pisa Dome, both of the beginning of the XIV century, would suggest an intervention of such period but the contemporary presence of different schools in the original yard can not be excluded.

Key-words: mosaic, mortars, binder, aggregate

R. Nardi

La conservazione e il restauro dei mosaici di Zeugma.

The ancient town of Zeugma on the river Euphrates in South Anatolia, Turkey, was partially inundated during, the year 2000 by the new Birecik Dam. In this context, the Packard Humanities Institute organized in co-ordination with the Turkish Authorities an international programme for emergency archaeological rescue operations, based on excavation, on site conservation and restoration of mosaics removed from the site during the previous two years.

This paper reports the operations implemented by 25 professional conservators from CCA, Centro di Conservazione Archeologica - Rome. in charge for the conservation management and mosaics restoration.

Field assistance to the archaeologists. first aid during excavation. preventive conservation, protection, reburial and "risks mitigation" of the area for the flooding. are some of the operations that will be presented.

The restoration of 800 square meters of polychrome mosaics is also described.

Key-words: Mosaic, In situ Conservation, Restoration, Preventive Conservation, Reburial

B. Sammarco, S. Vanacore

Il Ninfeo delle terme suburbane degli scavi di Pompei e il Mosaico della Natatio proveniente da Marina della Lobra. Analisi e comparazione di alcune tessere invetriate.

N.d.

A. Giuffredi

Mosaici romani strappati nel secolo scorso, il problema della sostituzione dei supporti cementizi con pannelli sandwich ad anima a nido d'ape in alluminio.

N.d.

E. Guglielmo

I mosaici paleocristiani del duomo di Pesaro: un problema di fruizione e coesistenza con le funzioni liturgiche.

The peculiarity of the cathedral of Pesaro consists in the presence under the floor of two mosaics. The most ancient one, situated to approximately mt 2.20 of depth, goes back to the IV-V century A.D., belonging to a late-ancient building (domus or a former basilica) whose wall structures were pulled down during the gothic war. The more recent mosaic, which belonged to a Byzantine basilica built on the pre-existing structures after the 553 (year of the defeat of the Goti), has been found to mt 1.60 of depth, overlapped to the previous one of approximately cm 60.

The Cathedral, erected in Romanesque-gothic style between the 1282 and the 1353, was enlarged and transformed in the middle of 19th century. During the works, begun in 1851, wide mosaic surfaces came out in the nave and lateral aisles, leading to a lively debate of researchers. After fifteen years of arguments on how to make available the mosaics, no solution prevailed and finally was restored the modern pavement.

After a little more than a century the problem arose again: in 1990, during the Dome restoration, an integral excavation was performed under the nineteenth-century floor, giving back the wide upper mosaic; after the excavation the problem was again how to make the mosaics enjoyable and at the same time to give back the building to its religious functions; various proposals for mosaics fruition and cathedral arrangement were formulated, but none prevailed until 1999.

Approaching to the Jubilee, the Curia asked the Soprintendenza to put into effect in short time a solution with respect to the aim to complete the works before the 1999 Eve Christmas, giving back the cathedral to the worshipers. After a meticulous study of the several possible solutions, the Soprintendenza chose to leave in situ the mosaics, making them visible and to restore the floor of the cathedral, thanks of a completely reversible structure, leaving thus the possibility in the future of alternative arrangements.

Key-words: Pesaro, cathedral, mosaics, palaeo-christian mosaics, restore, availability

PG. Bardelli, C. Ostorero

Frammenti per narrare la storia: Torino e l'evoluzione del mosaico dalla produzione artistica alla cultura edilizia nel XX secolo. Cultura, tecnologia, conservazione.

Along the XX Century the debate about the renewal of the architecture was also related to the debate about the material of the architecture. It was not only a matter of "changing shape to the world" for a new social deal trough the innovative use of the architecture. It was also a matter of giving new materials to the construction industry and to give new interpretation to the use of "ancient" material such as the mosaic. In Turin, capital in Italy of this cultural renewal since the start of the Century, with its International Exhibition of the Decorative Arts, mosaic was used both for decoration of specific portion of the building, ( facade, main entrance…) as for the new image of the "skin" of the building itself. In many example the cooperation between the artist, the architect and the artisan gave results that can be compared to the concept of the Gesamkustwerk. During the Sixties the diffusion of mosaic was so familiar to began a sort of social "common taste" Glass and ceramics started to be used instead of the plaster for the covering of the façade. The city and its International style shape began to be "translated" with the mosaic and this tecnique can be considered as one of the most important to interpret the history of the evolution of city life.

Key-Words: Mosaic, glass, ceramics, artist, artisan, fragment, whole image.

M. Andaloro, M. Scognamiglio, G. Fanelli, MS. Giunta

I mosaici del Duomo di Cefalù. Restauri e conservazione

This paper reports on various stages in the research and work done on the Medieval mosaics at the Cathedral of Cefalù. The project, funded by Europe, was planned and supervised by Cultural and Environmental Heritage Office of Palermo. A general examination was made of the state of this extraordinary mosaic work. The three stages of intervention could be summed up as inspection, consolidation of detached portions, and cleaning. A complete photogrammetric profile was produced, as well as a 1:10 scale drawing of all 650 m2 of the mosaics. Ali of the photos and drawings were recorded both digitally and in hard copy.

Key-words: Cathedral - restoration - mosaic - photogrammetric profile.

M. Andaloro

I MOSAICI DIPINTI

This report is going to give a look, which is supposed to be unpublished and outstanding, about the mosaics in Cefalù; the fact is that they are painted mosaics. By delivering a lecture of their native qualities, starting from the elements they are made of, the way they are thought, the outcome, we come to the final result concerning the painted mosaics in Cefalù being the only ones painted distinctively parted by mosaics having painted tesserae, about which we have indications in Bisantium and Orient as far as the V century, ending through the IX century.

Key-Word: Cefalù, Mosaics, Color, Painting

F.Cervini, A. Rava

Severini e il mosaico. Il ciclo del palazzo delle Poste di Alessandria.

The contribution documents the work and intense collaboration of futurist artist Severini with the architect belonging to the avant – garde of the time for the construction of a real masterpiece: the external mosaics of the “Palazzo delle Poste” in Alessandria.

The ancient and traditional technique of mosaic was used by Severini with no additions, althongh twentieth century applications reveal ornamental values which are different from those of the past. The use of vitreous pastes and venetian enamel and stone “tesserae” is studied in detail, giving news about conservation problems and ideas about long – term maintenance.

Key-words: Severini, mosaic tesserae, glass technology, mosaic technique, modern materials, restoration – mosaic – Palazzo delle Poste Alessandria.

S. Antellini

Sui mosaici del Vittoriano in Roma.

n.d.

A. Grimoldi, E. Bondioni, F. Petracco

Le pavimentazioni in seminato nell'edilizia storica cremonese.

The ancien and traditional technique of mosaic as a decorative covering has not been repudiated by modern construction culture, although twentieth century applications reveal ornamental values which are different to those of the past. Technical updates and experiments with modern materials have not significantly affected the deep-rooted Italian mosaic tradition which is expressed in both training - the school of Spilimbergo for example - and production - with the use of vitreous pastes and Venetian enamel - and even in craftsmanship, which is exported abroad. The mosaic covering technique was used in the 1930'd by artists such as F.Depero, and was later a recurring feature in the combined work of artists and architects such as Somaini and Caccia Dominioni. Specific and anonymous "modern" interpretations of the mosaic technique were chosen for the interior and exterior finishes of a far greater number of public and private constructions built between the 1930's and 1960's than one might think. There is a fair amount of interest in mosaic coverings made from pieces of ceramic which were used on the facades of numerous residential constructions built in the period following the second world war, and these represent an attempt at standardising mosaic work. Today these "modern" creations are coming away from the walls to which they were applied and require urgent attention.

Key-words: modern materials - technical culture - mosaic tesserae, mosaic technique - ceramic mosaic cladding - interior and exterior finishes.

V.L. Boccuni

Antoni Gaudì e la tecnica del trencadìs ceramico.

Antoni Gaudí is certainly mostly known to the broad public, as well as to architects and art historians, for the prodigious and extravagant innovations in the field of the constructions, than for the decorative component of his work. Such a component is not merely aesthetic, it contributes instead to the definition of Gaudí’s architectural style. In fact, the conversion to curves such as parabola and hyperbola as well as to the sinuous shapes of Gaudí’s buildings, requires the use of a complicate technique deploying fragments of colorful ceramic tiles. (trencadís in Catalan, troceado in Castilian). In such a way, the ceramic coatings of the buildings end up being huge three-dimensional mosaics.

To this effect, the majolica tiles are broken by Gaudí in order to obtain polygonal fragments. The ceramic tiles are then applied, using adhesive cement, onto a surface pre-coated with mortar. The outcome is an artistic decoration under a mosaic form.

The irregular shape of the fragments together with their array of colors and shapes result into an extraordinary pictorial effect, and make Gaudí a pioneer in some of the basic themes internal to the debate of the figurative avant-garde of the contemporary culture. This raises complicate issues regarding both preservation and patronage of his work.

Key-Words: Gaudí – Ceramic – Mosaics – Decoration – Conservation – Restoration

DR. Fiorino, G. Frulio

Rivestimenti musivi tra '800 e '900 in Sardegna.

The research work concerns history, production, working techniques and deterioration degree of mosaic made in Sardinia during XIX-XX centuries; especially wall sheathing. The first step concerned the creation of a catalogne of works; in this catalogue are sorted out the author, date and working technique. Therefore each author is recognisable by the personal techniques and the use of different materials. The present knowledge about the Sardinian mosaic production is just started and this research is an original contribution for the studies.

Key-words: mosaic in Sardinia, wall sheathing, modem architecture, Biasi, D'Urso, Gatto, Figari, Sassu.

D. Bosia

La tecnica "moderna" del mosaico. Materiali, tecniche e restauri dai mosaici moderni alle interpretazioni decorative degli anni '50 e '60 del Novecento.

The ancien and traditional technique of mosaic as a decorative covering has not been repudiated by modern construction culture, although twentieth century applications reveal ornamental values which are different to those of the past. Technical updates and experiments with modern materials have not significantly affected the deep-rooted Italian mosaic tradition which is expressed in both training - the school of Spilimbergo for example - and production - with the use of vitreous pastes and Venetian enamel - and even in craftsmanship, which is exported abroad. The mosaic covering technique was used in the 1930'd by artists such as F.Depero, and was later a recurring feature in the combined work of artists and architects such as Somaini and Caccia Dominioni. Specific and anonymous "modern" interpretations of the mosaic technique were chosen for the interior and exterior finishes of a far greater number of public and private constructions built between the 1930's and 1960's than one might think. There is a fair amount of interest in mosaic coverings made from pieces of ceramic which were used on the facades of numerous residential constructions built in the period following the second world war, and these represent an attempt at standardising mosaic work. Today these "modern" creations are coming away from the walls to which they were applied and require urgent attention.

Key-words: modern materials - technical culture - mosaic tesserae, mosaic technique - ceramic mosaic cladding - interior and exterior finishes.

MA. Giusti

I mosaici nel giardino del novecento: sulla conservazione di una tradizione reinterpretata.

This study investigates the mosaic technique, made of a variety of materials (coloured pieces of glass, murrine, smale ceramic and marble tiles) and used to realise architectural works to be installed in parks and gardens.

This contribution evaluates the conditions of conservation and the way maintenance interventions have been performed.

KEY WORDS. Mosaico, Parco, Novecento, Conservazione

G. Badino, B. Bellucci, F. Fratini, E. Pecchioni

I Mosaici del foro Italico in Roma (1934-1937): caratteristiche esecutive, tipologie di degrado e interventi di manutenzione e restauro.

The sporting campus founded in Rome under the name of Foro Mussolini (today Foro Italico) was extensively decorated with indoor and outdoor mosaics between 1934 and 1937. The School Irene of Spilimbergo, in the North-East Italian region of Friuli, was charged of the largest extension of the decorative work. Its own technique rivoltatura, proved to be far cheaper than the traditional one and apt to achieve good results, comparable to the ones of the direct methodology. Gino Severini, Angelo Canevari, Giulio Rosso e Achille Capizzano provided the preparatory drawings for the mosaic compositions, and masters and students from Spilimbergo elaborated a wide range of technical devices. Our research focused on the mineralogical-petrographical composition of the original and restoration mortars from the Stadio dei Marmi and Viale dell’Impero. The aim was to investigate the reasons of the present decay of the two sites. The analytical data pointed out the hydraulic nature of both original and added mortars. The lack of any compound related to a chemical alteration, may lead to the conclusion that the alteration is mainly mechanical and due to an improper use of the sites.

Key-words: floor mosaics; reversed technique; hydraulic binder.

L. Cogorno, G. Beltrami, G. Risicato, M. Sarcina, L. Migliorino, P. Pieranni

Ricami calpestati. Le pavimentazioni a rissèu in Liguria.

Liguria, called “the region of stone”, is strongly characterized by the employment of this material, layed in different ways. The stony paving, named “rissêu” in the local dialect, is one of the most peculiar application of this kind. These pavings are realized through the wise combination of stone elements, coming from rivers or seas, marked by different shapes, dimensions and colours. These elements are put together to create a sort of ornamental carpet in front of churches, religious buildings and villas or in public spaces like squares and gardens. The realization of these pavings is articulated in a definite and precise sequence of phases and it needs a great technical skill, to choose “the right element for the right place”. This research has been aimed to get acquainted with all the aspects that distinguish this rich patrimony, through a capillary census of all the goods displaced in the Genoese Province. The main object was to point out the instruments to exploit, manage and preserve this great artistical and technical inheritence.

Key-words Liguria, Genoa, paving, stone

L. Punzo

Il trencadis: invenzione e tradizione nelle opere di Antoni Gaudì. Problemi di conservazione e restauro.

The Catalan word trencadís relates to a particular kind of mosaic made up of broken ceramic tiles and used to cover architectural surfaces. Antoni Gaudí introduced this method, developing it for many years. He reached his best results in Parc Güell examples. The coating of the enameled baked clay tile can be damaged by atmospheric aggressions: acid rains and pollutions cause the deteriorating of the varnish and let water penetrate in it and erase the decorations. Parc Güell and Palau Güell were restored between the ‘80ies and the ‘90ies. The solution adopted for the trencadís coverings was to substitute all the parts in bad conditions: the white fragments were replaced by pieces in earthware that is much more resistant to external aggressions. The decorated parts were replaced by tiles proceeding from buildings of the same era, or new pieces created with the same techniques as the originals. However this kind of interventions put forward some objections, because they’re not compatible with the conservative principles.

Key words: Catalan handicraft, ceramics in architecture, Gaudí, mosaic, restoration, trencadís

M. Baldan, M. Cima, P. De Girolami, MP. Ruolino

Roma - Musei Capitolini. Restauro di tre mosaici di un pavimento in Opus Sectile dagli Horti Lamiani e delle tarsie marmoree della Basilica di Giunio Basso.

n.d.

V. Foramitti

I restauri ottocenteschi dei mosaici della cattedrale di S. Giusto a Trieste.

The restoration of the mosaics in the cathedral of S. Giusto in Trieste, made in the years 1863-64 and 1877-78, represents a very interesting conservative intervention for this kind of object in the XIX century. The restoration was made with the demolition and reconstruction of the masonry vault which supported the mosaics, leaving them at their place. Integrations were made in plaster in order to let them be distinguished from the original. This kind of intervention was due to the will of Pietro Kandler, conservator of the Austrian Central Commission and the most important historian and archeologist of Trieste of the rime, and of the engineer Giovanni Righetti.

This kind of intervention is very different from many others in that period, when mosaics were normally remade or detached; it also suggested to Forlati the way to execute some of the interventions in St. Mark in Venice.

Key-words: Restoration, mosaics, XIX century, Trieste, San Giusto, Kandler, Righetti, Forlati.

C. Morigi

Il mosaico perduto dell'abside della cattedrale di Ravenna e la nuova identificazione di due delle figure superstiti.

Ravenna Archiepiscopal Museum keeps six mosaic fragments belonging to the lost apse decoration of the Ursian Basilica (1112). Two of them were recognized by Giuseppe Gerola (1912) as pertaining to the figures of Saints Barbaziano and Ursicino, on the basis of the comparison with the drawing of the full decoration made by Buonamici in 1741 on the verge of the demolition of the building.

Today, it is possible to revise this identification in the light of a new study carried out contemporaneously on two levels. The first consists in a careful analysis of the mosaic tissue through its constituent materials and the documentation about the restoration works carried out starting from the eighteenth century detachment. The second level consists in a new reading of the graphic source, which had been leading the previous identification, supported by a close iconographic research.

Thanks to such approach it was possible to prove that the two mosaic pieces do not belong to the figures of Saints Barbaziano and Ursicino, but to those of Ravenna protobishop Apollinare and of martyr Vitale.

Key-words: Ursian Basilica; new identification, detached mosaics; medieval mosaics

D. Pizzorno

L'arte del rissèu: origini, evoluzione e rinascita di un'antica tecnica mosaicale.

Pebble mosaic had an important development in ancient world from the VIII century b.C., along the Mediterranean basin and in Greece especially. Such masterpieces, like those from Corinth, Sikion, Olinth, Pella, have survived through the centuries and now permit us to identify aspects in the drawing, in the choice of materials, colour of stones employed, in the subjects reproduced and surrounding fringe motifs peculiar of each age. This technique, in fact, also called opus signinum by latin authors like Plinius the elder, was performed with different characteristics according to the region and the time of the artistic production; so that it is possible to assign each piece, within its architectural milieu, to a specific artistic period.

Following the highest aesthetic level achieved, as represented by Pella mosaics, opus signinum encountered a progressive decline and was later abandoned in favour of different techniques. The influence of major painting shifted the attention of artisans and artists towards opus tessellatum, that consented to reproduce particulars and wider shades of colour, thus vanishing the interest in pebble mosaics from the II century b.C. on.

Apparently forgotten and after an interminable pause, opus signinum reappear again in Ligurian towns, inside aristocratic courts and then spreading to pave squares and religious buildings. The splendour of these particular pavements appeal to the artistic sensibility of other European courts, generating migration of artisans and a commerce of pebble.

Key-words: pebble mosaic, pavements in Liguria, origins, evolution and revival of an antique mosaic technique.

B. Vinardi

Le pavimentazioni a mosaico negli atrii dell'edilizia civile piemontese tra ottocento e novecento.

The essay looks at mosaic floorings knowledge in Piedmontese civil building entrance-hall between the end of XIX century and the beginning of XX century, trough their fulfilment techniques and their peculiarities analysis, in order to their guardianship and protection, strictly deriving from materials choices and right operations, to whom a careful maintenance must follow, to avoid improper interventions. The Italian mosaic technique has been taken in Europe and United States of America trough Universal Expositions, the first places of cultural exchanges, where the main mosaic executors and the first materials providers have taken part. The mosaic floorings not only have developed in the private building ambit, but also and above all in the public one, in relation with new industry and economical development, connected with the new middle-class ascent in the society. A meaningful example of mosaic flooring innovative conception has given by the “battuto alla veneziana” flooring of Crescentino Caselli charitable institution, placed in Turin.

Key-words: Mosaic flooring, entrance-hall, civil-building, Piedmont, knowledge, building technique.

S. Valmaggi

I mosaici negli acquerelli e nei disegni di Giovanni Vacchetta.

Giovanni Vacchetta (Cuneo 1863 - Benevagienna 1940), scholar of arts, architecture, building techniques and materials, carried on at the development of arts, monuments and decorative applications in Piedmont.

He was able to convey sensations and information to the students of Accademia Albertina, Museo Industriale Italiano, Scuola di Applicazione per Ingegneri e Regio Politecnico in Turin, in which secondary schools Vacchetta was an important drawing master.

He used to draw everything he saw during his cultural journeys, in Italy and in Europe, like all protagonists of Eclecticism.

He used to collect every sketch and note in lots of dossiers, subdivided by subject, that now form the Vacchetta archives. In the dossiers about mosaics we can find informations about construction techniques (the glass or the marble mosaics), the history of mosaic in Rome and in Greece and during the Middle Age.

During his work of monuments restorer he used the mosaic technique to restore the floor of San Domenico Church, in Turin, in 1913.

Key-words: Mosaic, fine arts, glass, marble, Monuments, secondary education, techniques.

M. Fantone

Il mosaico nell'architettura religiosa torinese tra otto e novecento.

The essay aims to analyse some significant applications of mosaic art in the religious architectures in Turin and to examine closely the usage of mosaic in floors and in decorations and ornaments. A specific treatment refers to San Massimo’s church designed by Carlo Sada and to Santa Giulia by Giovan Battista Ferrante because in both cases it’s possible to compare the original projects with the actual realization, and particular attention is directed to the construction techniques and the materials.

In connection with the decorative themes, great evidence has been given to the match of Classical, Oriental and Byzantine models and the symbolism related to religion.

However, the tenders show as prescriptions delegated just the realization of the mosaics to the workers, while the drawings and the cartoons were prepared by the project architect. The Crovato family is an example of Venetian workers who left their home to travel and spread the mosaic art.

Key-words: Mosaic, floor, churches, Turin, Crovato, Santa Giulia’s, artificial marble.

L. Gabbaria Mistrangelo, D. Pittaluga

Pavimenti mosaicati in Liguria tra 800 e 900: un'analisi per il restauro.

Nell’articolo vengono messe a confronto diverse “scuole di pavimentatori e mosaicisti” attive in Liguria tra l’Ottocento ed i primi anni del Novecento. E’ in questo periodo, infatti, che il tipico pavimento seminato “alla genovese” si arricchisce di parti mosaicate accostate in vario modo al pavimento seminato. Lo studio in particolare esamina la differenza che esiste tra le diverse maestranze per quanto riguarda tecniche operative e materiali impiegati. Il confronto è fatto sulla base dell’analisi diretta di oltre un centinaio di pavimentazioni realizzate e sulla disamina di documenti d’archivio e testimonianze orali reperite presso alcune imprese artigiane.

L’articolo vuole proporre una riflessione su quali strumenti si hanno attualmente a disposizione per poter indagare accuratamente questi pavimenti.

L’analisi archeologica ed un rilievo accurato hanno dato risultati molto incoraggianti a questo proposito; vengono riportati qui, a titolo di esempio, alcuni esperimenti condotti all’interno del Laboratorio di Restauro della Facoltà di Architettura di Genova. La metodologia applicata ha permesso non solo di cogliere le differenze tra le diverse scuole e le differenti epoche, ma anche ha evidenziato all’interno di una stessa realizzazione il contributo di più operatori. E’ stato possibile inoltre tracciare un quadro abbastanza preciso dei problemi di degrado più diffusi e soprattutto di quelli legati a differenti modalità operative.

Questa analisi può quindi costituire una base ed un aiuto per il restauro; dettagli, infatti, che a prima vista possono sembrare insignificanti, racchiudono una molteplicità di informazioni e la loro cancellazione potrebbe conseguentemente comportare una perdita consistente di quella “cultura materiale”, della conoscenza cioè dei materiali e del modo più appropriato di lavorarli, che è alla base degli ottimi risultati raggiunti.

S. Cancellieri, C. Pierdominici

La reintegrazione dei pavimenti a mosaico: riflessioni metodologiche ed esemplificazioni operative.

In the circle of a project of restauration and exploitation of the monumental complex of the abbey of S. Andrea in Flumine, has been necessary to intervene, to reclaim from the damp the masonries of circle, on the floor of the side aisles. The presence, in the principal aisle of the church altomedioevale of a jewel floor imputable cosmatesco to the centuries XII-XIII, has produced varied problem list is of conservative order that formal also in relationship to the choices of proyect and operational formality adopted in the precedents restaurations.

The solution to propose a lexicon historically cosmatesco with the use of a material stone in simplify figurative solutions or in the spirit of rigorous maintenance to recover the solution previously adopted of a flooring in tile with bricks facts to hand: this is the first one of a series of methodological questions that is set to face such intervention in him.

C. Fiori, L. Alberti, A. Albertazzi, E. Rastelli, M. Vandini

Studio della composizione e del degrado delle tessere vetrose del mosaico "Madonna con Bambino" del Quirinale (Roma).

During recent restoration works at Quirinale, Rome, an intervention has been realised on the mosaic called “Madonna con Bambino”, in the “Torrino”. The mosaic, datable at the end of the seventeenth century, was restored in some different occasions, but it can be considered authentic for about the three quarters of the mosaic surface. A set of glass samples, collected during the recent restoration intervention, have been examined through optical microscopy in order to register images and to make observations about the conservation state of the glass material. Then, the chemical composition of the samples has been determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for a classification of the type of glass and an analysis of the production technology of these kind of mosaic glass. They can be considered “modern” glass, which can be classified as leaded glass. Chemical parmeters have been considered to define the tipology of the original glass tesserae and to identify non-original tesserae inserted during restoration interventions.

Key-Words: mosaic, glass, chemical composition, conservation state

F. Branda, G. Luciani, A. Costantini, M. Vandini

Composizione, proprietà termiche e degrado di tessere musive di epoca Romana dal Ninfeo di Punta Epitaffio in Baia.

An ancient musive glassy tessera was investigated, recovered from the Ninfeo of Punta Epitaffio during the underwater excavation in the sea in front of Baia, where in the I century A.D. a country-seat of the roman emperor was built. The results were compared with the ones about transparent glassy fragments recovered during the same excavation.

The experimental results suggest that calcareous sand and natron were used to make the tessera; the azure colour would be due to Co, while Ca₂Sb₂O₇ was used to opacify. The glass has a very high liquidus temperature, T_l=1180°C; however, it was made, presumably, around 700°C, where the glass shows a sufficiently low viscosity and good stability towards crystallisation. Its composition differs from the glassy fragments one for the lower Na₂O content. This justifies the apparent greater durability, the higher Tg and Ts values and the greater stability towards crystallisation.

Key Words: Azur mosaic tessera; composition; durability; thermal properties; Differential Thermal Analysis

S. Lorusso, C. Fiori, C. Matteucci

Applicazione della spettroscopia di raggi-x di fluorescenza portatile allo studio del vetro musivo.

The Byzantine wall mosaic are rich of glass tesserae with a very wide variety of colours. The study of these materials and the components used for their production (the base raw materials for manufacturing the glass and substances for colouring, opacifying and refining the product), with the aim of classifying them and going back to their process technology, should be carried out on a great number of samples, elaborating the analytical data on a statistical basis. The sampling of mosaic materials, for their laboratory characterization, is not always possible without causing damages to the works of art. An investigation method that does not involve sampling and is applicable in situ could be the X-Rays Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) employed through a portable instrument for the chemical characterisation, and a portable videomicroscope with the possibility of memorisation and elaboration of the images, in order to relate the analyses to the corresponding image of each sample under investigation. The limits of this method have been evaluated in laboratory experiments, simulating in situ applications. The aim of the application of the XRF could be, at least, a preliminary investigation giving interesting qualitative information about the production technology of the glass, in particular as regards the development of the colour. This investigation can possibly be the base for the collection of a reduced number of samples, limited to the restrict quantity necessary for the laboratory analyses with the aim of a deep archaeometric study on the typologies of the materials or for the accurate evaluation of the their conservation state.

Key-words: mosaic, glass, chemical composition, XRF.

G. Guidi, A. Morelli, C. Nenci, C. Santella, G. Tucci

Indagini diagnostiche applicate ai pavimenti musivi: tecniche di rilievo, analisi per campioni e indagini geofisiche.

The aim of the research was to establish a method of analyses for floor mosaics, divided into three phases: evaluative, preliminary and final control. These are to be conducted with the compilation of support cards for each phase. The evaluative phase is of a descriptive nature, and is useful for the organization of all available information about the object of the research, including archives, historic and photographic material. The preliminary phase includes the survey, using different methods and instruments, the examination of samples which are selected according to the aims of the research, to identify the presence of anomalies, caused by recent and ancient restorations, or integrations. The organization of an instrumental investigation follows, either conducted on-site, or in a laboratory. At this stage, thematic tables are produced which are of considerable support to the evaluation of the state of conservation, and for the following choices of work. The support cards, on the other hand, provide a record of progress and observations which are in turn analysed by different experts. Finally, the final control phase aims to organize future maintenance work.

Key-words: survey card, digital photogrammetry, 3d acquisition, sample investigation, georadar, conservation, maintenance

G. Franca, F. Maselli Scotti, G. Galeazzo, F. Guerra, G. Auditore

Il rilievo ed il sistema informativo del mosaico della basilica Teodoriana di Aquileia.

The work lead on the Basilica Teodoriana’s floor is about the knowledge of the actual conservation of the mosaic and the way to find the best techniques for the restoration.

We decided and prepared some knowledge methods that respect the exact geometry of the mosaic floor and let easily use all the parts of the study.

The geometric survey has been realized using stereoscopic digital photogrammetry, in order to use the automatic extraction of the Digital Terrain Model.

The representation of the mosaic floor, the materials and conservation analysis have been integrated with the 1 cm DTM and with the representation of the 2 mm contour map.

All the parts of the work are loaded in a GIS realized with Arcview, in order to provide a good method of consultation and cathalogation and an efficient way to calibrate the final project of the conservation.

Key-words: mosaic restoration, digital ortophoto, DTM, GIS

E. Andronico, C. Micalizzi, S. Palmieri, G. Rèpaci, M. Triscari

Reggio Calabria: il pavimento musivo delle terme romane. Studio per un intervento di restauro.

The study is about the mosaic pavement of the roman thermal baths situated in Reggio Calabria.

The manufacture dated back probably to the late imperial period presents black and white tarsias with reiteration of hexagonal patterns:

The state of preservation presents some pathology due to the action of infesting weeds, which have eaten into the tesserae with a diffused biological patina causing swellings and detaching.

In addition to that, there are other polluting factors (deposits of particles, presence of more or less brackish water), for these reasons our analysis means not only to document the condition of the mosaic, but also to hypothesize a resolute intervention of restoration in order to increase the value of the archaeological place.

Key-Words: Mosaics, Opus Tessellatum, Opus Latericium, Opus Mixtum, Opus Sigmnum, Apodyterium, Suspensurae, Calidarium. Tepidarium, Praefurnium, Ipocausto. Restoration, Termae Romanae

F. Gabellone, M.T. Giannotta, A. Monte, G. Quarta

il mosaico tardoromano rinvenuto nella cattedrale di Otranto: problemi di conoscenza, tutela e valorizzazione.

The removal of the medieval figured mosaic inside the Otranto cathedral has trough to light another mosaic flooring of the Late Roman period (IV-V centuries). This mosaic which originally measured about 120 mq and was decorated with geometric and floreal patterns, presented extensive lacunas due to interventions done in the early Medieval period. In 1987 the mosaic was divided in 21 sections, which were removed and put on polystyrene panels. At present 17 of the panels are stored in very bad conditions in the Seminario building, while four panels have been restored and are exposed in the Museo Diocesano. This paper is intended to further scientific knowledge this mosaic flooring through: the study of constituent materials and working technique, computer graphics reconstruction (Virtual Archaeology). In order to do that, we have proceeded to acquiring all available records (excavation reports, plans and photos) and to drawing samples for mineralogical and petrographic testing (DRX, thin section, SEM) and for chemical analyses (EDX).

Key-Words: Otranto; roman mosaic; virtual archaeology; mineralogical, petrographic and chemical analyses.

B. Portulano, R. Bugini,L. Folli

Caratteri stratigrafici di mosaici romani da Aquileja

Roman mosaics coming from rubbish North of Porto Fluviale of Aquileja (Friuli, North-Eastern Italy) were analysed by optical microscopy in order to identify the different layers used to set. Cubic shaped stone tesserae are made with white or black limestone. Lime mortar is used in the setting bed, lime mortar with crushed tiles is used for the inner layer. In some cases between the setting bed and the layer of crushed tiles, a layer made of lime mortar and calcite crystals is present. The analytical data are compared with other roman mosaics coming from different parts of Italy. A comparison with the Vitruvius On architecture passages about the pavement is also made using different translation of the latin text.

Key-Words: mosaic, lime mortar, setting bed, calcite crystal, crushed tile

A. Casarino, E. Jacopino, C. Lastrico, S. Podestà, R. Ricci, M. Sassu, G. Stagno, A. Torre

Metodologia sperimentale per la valutazione dello stato di conservazione di pavimentazioni esterne eseguite con tecnica a mosaico in pietra. Il mosaico di ciottoli del palazzo dell'antica farmacia di Bogliasco (Genova).

The cobble mosaic paving is an important evidence of the material culture of Ligurian areas that is meaningful for its landscape and historical value.

The degradation processes, the demand of a correct conservation and, where it is necessary, of a detail intervention of restoration requires the knowledge of the state of conservation.

The experimentation carried out on a site of eastern Liguria can represent a methodological approach for a correct diagnosis of this kind of architectonical elements.

The results obtained, during the test campaigns and the successive elaborations, show how a vocational training of the technicians is a basic requirements for this kind of cultural heritage too many times forgotten

A. De Palma, L. Notturni, A. Torsello

Metodologie informatiche per la conoscenza e la conservazione delle superfici musive.

Con l’impiego degli strumenti informatici alla conservazione dei mosaici emergono le potenzialità del trattamento digitale delle immagini per ampliare il quadro informativo di un’opera musiva e per definire le scelte progettuali in un settore di intervento particolarmente problematico quale è il trattamento delle lacune. Una tecnica di indagine basata sull’Image processing e una procedura di gestione e controllo del progetto di integrazione mediante metodiche di simulazione in ambiente virtuale, offrono risultati che confermano l’efficacia del metodo e delineano prospettive di ricerca di indubbio interesse.

B. Villa, F. Agnello, V. Franco, M. Lo Brutto,P. Marescalchi,P. Orlando

Metodi innovativi per il rilevamento di rivestimenti musivi.

Different approaches to surveying mosaics have been tested during a research on the roman Villa del Casale near Piazza Armerina (Enna). The purpose is the production of photoplanes and ortophotos as a support both for metrical and qualitative analysis addressed to maintenance and restoration. Metric data acquisition has been led through topographical surveying, photogrammetric restitution and laser scanning.

Keywords: Surveying, Mosaics, Roman architecture

D. Cirino, G.A.M. Massacci, V. Messina, S. Milioti, A. Rotella

Pavimento a mosaico - ex convento di San Francesco da Paola - Milazzo (ME)

From the date of discovery - 1934 - we have two very important interpretation about the mosaic situated in the ancient Monastery of S. Francesco di Paola at the present time School of Arts - : the P.E. Arias and the Dela von Boeselager, two years later . Comparing both thesis, has been derived a particular conclusion, basing on a historiographic re-examination, slowing that the Hellenic mosaic opus signinum is beyond the opus tessellatum of the 2nd century a. C. During the operative stage, the work will respect the general standard about the reversibility of interventions, with a diligent control on the effect the different operations can show on founds in the long run.

The operative procedure has been developed according to a precise sequence: dry removal of residual excavation objects, using millet brushes surface cleaning, analysis and photographic documentation about the present situation, graphic rubbing and compiling of thematic tables with a gaps map, macroscopie analysis of the existent materials, treatment with biocid products, fixing and strengthening of mosaic tesserae.

Key words: mosaics, archaeology, opus tesselatum, opus signinum, marbles, conservation treatments.

A. Longo, L. Pellegrino, L. Ventura Bordenca

Il volto di Cassio ritorna alla villa del Casale. Riconfigurazione di porzione musiva con malta incisa e dipinta su supporto autonomo.

The reversible remaking of a mosaic pavement lacunae, representing Cassio's face (located m the "unctions room" inside the thermae area of the "Villa Romana") destroyed by an act of vandalism occurred in 1998, has been executed by the remaking with different materials of pseudotesserae employing engraved, painted mortar on an indipendent support.

The small lacunae showed the loss of almost all the tesserae, except for some tiny parts recovered and attached on the indipendent support previously mentioned. The analogical and not hypothetical remaking, has been made possible due to some photographic documentation supplied by Pubblifoto Palermo, is characterized by reversible and recognizable peculiarity and also it guarantees potential unity to Cassio's figure.

The reversibility of the work has been assured by the use of an indipendent support, wich was dry fit in the lacunae. The recognizability has been reached using different materials from the ones and treating the engraved tesserae surface through uniform background painting in lower tones with respect to the original surrounding chromatic values.

Key-Word: Remaking mosaic pavement lacunae engraved painted mortar-Villa Imperiale Romana – Piazza Armerina - Erma

A. Popescu

A masterpiece of the venetian art in the united states: the mosaics of the lakewood chapel in Minneapolis, MN. Problems of their conservation and restoration.

The decorations in mosaics of the Lakewood Chapel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, applied between 1909 and 1910, represent the most acclaimed example of Byzantine art in the United States. Modeled after Santa Sophia Church in Constantinopole, it has the interior mosaics based on example of San Marco Basilica in Venice, and realized by a Venetian studio, which applied the mosaic fragments "overturn on gummer cloth".

Our paper presents the deterioration problems of mosaic surfaces, represented mainly by the water infiltration through junctions of various levels of the chapel roofs, which produce salt efflorescence, limited areas without good adhesion of tessere into the plaster support and even fissures of some tessere, made mainly in glass and also in marble and colored stone.

The deterioration problems appeared especially during long periods of frost-thaw, when various levels of the chapel roofs has different expansion-contraction coefficients, which produce fissures and cracks along their junctions. Other important aspects are represented by the lack of a thermo-insulator layer for walls and roofs and also by assurance of a continuing indoor heating in cold seasons, just starting with 1997.

Key-Word: Venetian mosaics in USA; mosaic deterioration; mosaic conservation and restoration.

M. Scognamiglio, G. Fanelli, M. Giunta, G. Renda

Restauro degli elementi strutturali mosaicati provenienti dall'ambone del XII Secolo della Cattedrale di Cefalù.

La campagna di restauro ha interessato gli elementi strutturali mosaicati provenienti dall’ambone e dai seggi normanni smontati della Cattedrale di Cefalù. Il progetto rientra in un programma più vasto e complesso, curato dai funzionari della Soprintendenza di Palermo e dalla Curia di Cefalù che tende alla riconfigurazione dell’originaria area presbiteriale della cattedrale normanna. Il restauro, lavori P.O.P. 94/98, è stato eseguito nel corso dell’anno 2001 e costituisce un momento di raccordo tra una precedente campagna di rilievi e catalogazione e il successivo progetto complessivo di riconfigurazione.

H. Fallahdar

La conoscenza disciplinare di cultura e conservazione dei mosaici.

L'articolo cerca di affrontare un tema relativo alla storia e la tecnica di realizzazione, e i valori positivi dall'opera esistente per uno stato di conservazione e un eventuale processo di degrado dei kashikari (mosaici) in Iran. Da cui, per il kashikari come un apparato di rivestimento o decorativo all'opera architettonica, che va valorizzata la commessione in loco di elementi a dimensioni piccole di forma opus propria Kashi o opus musivum (in diversi categorie principali, come muqarnas, moarraq o haftrang) tali da opus tassellatum accostati per comporre motivi geometrici, figurati o floreali dell'architettura e dell'archeologia costruita una volta. Così si intende approfondire gli aspetti relativi alle scelte metodologiche ed operative che orientano la conservazione e la fruizione degli apparati kashikari nella sua varietà d'applicazione.

Questo fa sì per un particolare interesse relativo vada alla conoscenza della metodologia di posa in opera e una conoscenza degli stessi mosaici, e verificare le tecnologie utilizzate e il messaggio, il progresso evolutivo nella lavorazione di essi, e la loro permanenza la loro influenza, sulle altre culture. I mosaici, l'opus musivum raggiundosi a certi risultati stilistici fin dall'antichità e Saljuqidi, in oriente poi si arrivò in occidente. Come lo splendore dei fondi oro dei mosaico bizantini essendo insieme manifestazione di fasto terreno e simbolo del divino, si ricordano come i grandi cicli musivi applicati a Ravenna, ad Istanbul e a Venezia. Dunque, la linea dell'articolo andrà dimostrare come per una necessità di intervenire più frequentemente su sistema già restaurato, potrebbero venire le questioni legate alla salvaguardia e alla prevenzione patologica fino ad un riuso correlato all'edificato.

Con questo, si cercherà ad un approfondimento della ricerca storica-analitica disciplinare sulla tecnica tradizionale di esecuzione e sui materiali utilizzati che vanno per gli studi del comportamento dei kashi (mosaici) e le indagini conoscitive relative al loro processo della vita, la loro durabilità, il loro ruolo, e alla fine il loro degrado. Poiché, si spera arrivare a dimostrare (con le foto, disegni e relazioni scientifiche) dei metodi e le tecniche degli interventi già eseguiti e le loro verifiche per un'eventuale modo di reversibiltà utile, al fine di una valorizzazione e tutela dell'opera esistente.

F. Albani

Il mosaico nell'opera di Giovanni Muzio a Milano tra le due guerre.

Giovanni Muzio used floor mosaics made with stone tesserae or Palladiana floor in residential buildings from 1922 to 1936. Tecnique, materials and linear patterns have a relation with the architectural space. Tradition and innovation are together in these spaces of entrance

Key-Word: Floor mosaic, Stone tesserae, Indirect method, Palladiana floor, Cement, Lime mortar

V. Santiago Godos

Sopravvivenza musiva nel novecento: un insieme artistico dallo strappo al restauro

Between 1961-62, the Murcian artist José María Párraga undertook the project of designing a great and beautiful wall mosaic, placed in the hall of the Central Pavilion of the Psichiatric Hospital of El Palmar, in the (Autonomous) Región of Murcia (Spain). In 1999 that building was going to be demolished as a new building was going to be build. It was decided that the mosaic had to be rescued. The paper discusses the acts and methods used to rescue the mosaic. These include: First, the hard extraction of the tessellas (mosaic tile) on the wall, second, gathering together (assembley) of the pieces previously extracted, third, the restauration of each of the parts of the work; and finally, the placement of the whole of the work on three rigid panels. These were plain, unflexible, and made up of different layers of synthetic materials. The panels provide stability to the work and facilitate its mobility. In addition, the panels allow the possible future mobility of the work. In 2001 the three panels were relocated in the new building in a place similar to the hall where the work had originally displayed its beauty and artistic quality and where it also does at present thanks to the restauration process.

Key-Words: Wall mosaic, Restauration, Syntetic panels, Tessellas (mosaic tile), Wall extraction.

C. Pastor, F. Tomasinelli

Il "litostrato" sinonimo del "pavimento a mosaico in pietra" in un intervento pubblico di pavimentazione esterna eseguito nei primi del novecento. Analisi dei componenti e dei processi di degrado.

XX September street project was realized between the end of nineteen century and the beginneing of twentieth century: they built a new big road and also new buildings with arcades and mosaic floorings, unusual in Genoese tradition. This realization was a opportunity of a cultural revision: as a matter of fact new materials were used, alternating traditional technics with new systems. After a century, this flooring is very damaged, with unsuitable patches. A recovering study is carried out, analysing different subjects. Style aspects of these floorings are examined and also close connection between ceiling and flooring drawings, that use the same rhythm and the same ornament. Drawings are surveyed very precisely and, after analysis, some considerations are explained on material aspects and placing carried out during the construction. Sometimes maintenance is very difficult, if not impossible.

Key-Words: Mosaic floorings, connection between ceiling and flooring drawings

F. Attardo, S. Frizzi

Nuovi pavimenti musivi della villa dei Domizi Enobarbi di Santa Liberata (GR). Restauro in situ e conservazione.

During the restoration works in the garden of the Domizi Enobarbi’s Villa in Santa Liberata (MonteArgentario, Grosseto, Italy), some wide portions of mosaic floors -decorated in black and white- have been brought back to light. They belong to three different areas of the imperial villa. One of the portions (ambient 3) turned out to having been inquired already in the early Fifties of the last century, something proved by various operations of tesseras fastening with cementar mortar as well as by one photography kept in the Photographic Cabinet of the Soprintendenza for the Archaeological Assets of Tuscany (already published by Giulio Ciampoltrini). The others two portions of mosaics -one of which decorated with trophies with black and white tesseras- recovered near the circular tower (ambient 1) and the other constituted from a white carpet of tesseras with a black frame (ambient 2) do not seem to have been inquired in recent times.

The article, preceded by an historical-artistic introduction by Pamela Gambogi and from a short summing up of the diggings carried out in the park of the villa by Giovanni Roncaglia, will regard the plan of restoration in situ and the conservation of mosaics (ambient 1 and 2) carried out during summer 2001 done by Francesca Attardo and Simona Frizzi, with the advising of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence , in particular of Giancarlo Raddi delle Ruote, head restorer of the Laboratory of Restoration of Mosaic and Commesso in Pietre Dure.

Key-Words: Domizi Enobarbi - Mosaic floors – restoration in situ – conservation-

E. Filippi, E. Garda

Il rivestimento in tessere vitree e la collaborazione fra artisti ed architetti nell'Italia degli anni trenta.

Glass tesserae mosaic work and collaboration between artists and architects in the Italy of the Thirties.

With the Functionalism of the Thirties, the idea of decoration was programmatically banished from architectural thinking, in Italy as elsewhere. Nevertheless, though this is true in the writings and manifestos of the day, it is by no means equally true in the built architecture, where the attentive eye will find that decoration crops up again and again, though no longer as a mere adjunct or overlay but as a synchronic and consubstantial part of design. With decoration no longer able to root itself in forms that had been pared down to their pure geometric essence, finish materials were invested with all aesthetic responsibilities. Among these materials, glass tesserae mosaic takes center stage, both because of its chromatic attractions and as a result of its presumed “sanitary” advantages.

Ancient in origin, mosaic enjoyed a second flowering in the Rationalist period, where it is presented as a “new” material and freighted with further symbolic connotations, suspended between craft and industry, between architecture and art.

Through the history of a material, the proposed contribution will document the intense and fruitful collaboration between figurative artists such as Chicco, Casorati and Severini, and several of the most prominent figures in the Italian architectural avant-garde.

Case-studies will devote particular attention not only to historical and critical interpretation, but also – and above all – to the technical aspects of this art which, like so many others from the same period, raises a number of delicate questions regarding its conservation today.

Key-words: mosaico, movimento moderno, arte, tecnologia.

P.R. David

Un mosaico di Enrico Galassi in un edificio di architettura contemporanea a Roma.

La comunicazione prende in esame un edificio residenziale romano, progettato negli anni Cinquanta dagli architetti Monaco e Luccichenti, esemplare sia perla ricerca intorno al tipo residenziale più diffuso in quegli anni, la palazzina, sia per la particolare attenzione data alle finiture ed alla decorazione applicata all’ architettura.

Nell'edificio l'uso del mosaico si presenta sotto un duplice aspetto: come elemento decorativo isolato, come dimostra il pannello musivo di Enrico Galassi posto al piano terreno e come elemento di finitura architettonica sotto forma di rivestimento monocromo delle fasce sottofinestra del prospetto principale.

Accanto ad una breve disamina dei problemi conservativi di questi manufatti, sarà sottolineata la ricerca di una qualità progettuale dell'architettura affidata allo strumento di un progetto integrato con le arti applicate.

Key-Words Galassi, Monaco e Luccichenti, palazzina, Circo Massimo, tessere.

A. Margagliotta, A. Mazzè

Materiali e tecniche dei mosaici di Sicilia.

In Sicily the mosaic represents an artistic expression that is possible to find in most buildings built in different age from the medieval to the modern. In particular, in the XVIII-XIX centuries the technics of the mosaic underwent same modifications. These modifications is due to the repairs of the arab-norman mosaics and to their replacement also. These operations allow the creation of a particular mosaicist school in Palermo, that was working untill the XIX century. In this paper we will analyze the technics of execution that are derived from the study of the repairs carried out on the ancient mosaics. The materials and the way of mass in work will be analyzed too; in particular we will investigate the repairs of the mosaics located in the Cappella Palatina in Palermo.

Key-Words: mosaics, Sicily, repairs, technics, materials.

M. Verità, B. Profilo, M. Vallotto, A. Rava

I mosaici della basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano a Roma: studio analitico delle tessere vitree.

Glass tesserae have been produced to be used in mosaic decoration for more than 2000 years and constitute an important part of cultural heritage. Despite their importance, only few information is avaible on their production technology and its evolution through the different historical periods. The scientific investigation of ancient glasses combined with the knowledge of glass technology can provide useful information on this subject. The restoration of the wall mosaics of the basilica of S.S. Cosma and Damiano in Rome was the occasion to study the production technology of tesserae of the 6^th (catino absidale), 7^th (arco trionfale) and 17^th (restoration of part of the catino absidale) centuries.

The tesserae were studied by X-ray microanalysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to determine the different mixtures of raw materials used to make, opacify and colour the glass tesserae. The results allowed the sophisticated production technology (raw materials, colouring and opacification technology) to be identified, together with some interesting differences and similarities between the different periods.

Key-Words:Vitreous mosaic tesserae; Glass technology; Glass analysis; EPMA; XRD

E. Zucchetta, M. Verità

La pala d'altare in mosaico della Cappella Lando in San Pietro di Castello a Venezia: inedite notizie d'archivio tecnica di esecuzione, intervento, indagini scientifiche.

n.d.

A. Calia, F. Gabellone, A. Monte, G. Quarta

Otranto: il mosaico pavimentale del XII secolo della Cattedrale. Storia dei restauri e stato di conservazione.

The XII century mosaic (also known as Pantaleone’s Mosaic) which covers the most of the walking floor of Otranto Cathedral, was subjected to many restorations.

The firstly documented one dates back to 1875 and was made by the mosaicist Maselli, who restored several areas of the paving of the nave. From 1897 to 1979 many restoring proposals and intervention had been following one another up to the last restoration executed by the “Ditta Carlo Signorini” of Ravenna from September 1986 to July 1991.

Starting from the research of further sources about ancient and recent restorations (at the Archivio di Stato di Lecce, Archivio della Soprintendenza per i BB.A.A.A. SS. della Puglia e Genio Civile di Lecce), we regarded the one executed by Signorini in order to test the condition of preservation of the mosaic ten years after the end of the intervention.

In order to do that, we made a map of the main forms of deterioration.

Key – Words: Otranto; Romanic mosaic; restoration history, conservation

M.T. Giannotta, G. Quarta, A. Cocchiaro

I pavimenti romani dell’area archeologica di via Casimiro a Brindisi: primi risultati di uno studio interdisciplinare.

In the old town of Brindisi there is the archaeological area of via Casimiro, with several remains of roman structures which were brought to light and excavated between 1957 and 1959. Beneath an imperial square surrounded by arcades, republican pavements in opus signinum were found, which were decorated which stone scutulatae and tesserae. One of these was decorated with a semis of bichrom crosslets in opus signinum, and presented a exceptional central panel which it out among contemporary pavements of Roman Italy. This panel presents a decoration made with polychrome materials (blue, green and yellow): marble and/or vitreous paste, some of them inserted in the hollows of sectioned shell. The last mentioned decorative pattern, with its brilliant chromatism, represents a unicum. In 1962, the Soprintendenza Archeologica of Taranto provided for the preservation in situ of the Roman pavements of via Casimiro, which, however, due to the action of several degradation agents, present today a bad state of conservation. Study of pavement with its constituent materials and working technique have been conducted through a limited stratigraphical excavation and the drawing of samples for mineralogical and petrographical testing (DRX, thin-section, ESEM) and chemical analyses (EDX).

Key-Words: Brindisi, roman pavements, opus signinum, laboratory analyses.

A. Moropoulou, N.P. Avdelidis, E.T. Delegou, C. Gill, J. Smith

Study of deterioration mechanisms of vitreous tesserae mosaic.

Glass tesserae from Hagia Sophia’s dome mosaics were examined by microscopy. The tesserae consisted of at least two gold or silver leaves sandwiched between a thicker base glass, with a characteristic amber or greenish hue, and a thin transparent surface glass layer. The materials and technology used, as well as their condition, were characterised by fibre optics microscopy, optical microscopy, stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion by x-ray analysis. Although the glass elements of the tesserae, and especially the thick base glasses, were nearly unaffected by the intensive corrosive environment of the Great Church’s interior, corrosion of some metallic leaves had led to the spalling of the top thin glass layers. Thus, there was partial removal of the metallic leaves leading to a deterioration of the aesthetic value of the tesserae.

Key-words: Glass tesserae, Hagia Sophia, microscopic investigation, mosaics, weathering.

F. Amendolagine

La pratica del restauro del mosaico nella Firenze del quattrocento.

Florence in the Quattrocento represented a great example of the patronage in the arts under the government of the Medics.

Cosimo il Vecchio was an able conqueror and a concrete builder; Lorenzo il Magnifico was more diplomatic in politics, a great man of letters, interested not only in poetry but also in reading of the classics, and a great promoter in the decorative arts, infact the great artistic program under his patronage, was the renewal of the mosaic technique in order to give celebrity to Florence and to inflame the proud of the Floretiners.

We know that Florence had great mosaicists in the XIII and XIV centuries: Giotto, Tafi, Cimabue, Fra Jacopo della Scarsella, Orgagna. In the early Quattrocento Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno was send by the Medics to work in Venice like <<magistri musaici>> because in Venice all the line of mosaicists was dead. They marked the passage from the old Byzantine- Romanesque mosaic style to the Renaissance manner.

Also the restoration of the ancient mosaics was continued, not only during the government of Cosimo il Vecchio but also under Lorenzo. The restoration and the renewal of the Mosaics was the result of the activity of Alessio Baldovinetti, and of the two great shops of Gherardo and Monte di Giovanni and of Domenico and David Ghirlandaio.

KEY WORDS. Florence- Quattrocento- Medici- Mosaic- Renewal- Restoration.

V. Borasi, M. Corgnati, P.Piantanida

Attorno alla regola dell’arte di Ingazio Michela per i pavimenti a mosaico di marmo.

The big spreading of mosaic floors in Piedmont during the 19^th century moves from their fair technical behaviour (good reliability, long-lasting life, hygienically proof, incombustible, etc.) and their tasteful appearance. The main issue concerning the durability of a mosaic floor is how its floor rough was made: Ignazio Michela’s rules about construction of mosaic floors are exemplary in order both to manage a today restoration site, both to evaluate the specific items of an up-to-date building tender. Statistics can help us to focus on the main geometrical characteristics of the mosaic decks: according to the authors’ opinion, the proposal of a statistics based method is helpful to correctly point out the mosaic geometry for any restoration or integration.

Key-Word: mosaic, Piedmont, Ignazio Michela, Statistics, restoration.

M. Andaloro

Il mosaico del titulus di Equizio di San Martino ai Monti a Roma.

This report is going to talk about the extraordinary and underestimated mosaic representing a Saint Bishop and located in the ancient Basilica of S. Martino ai Monti in Rome. It is supposed to show a good and functional relationship on what I’m going to give a lecture and the report of Moioli and other authors. This paper, goes deep into materials and mosaics structure, caring on both kinds of research: the scientific side and the historical critical view. As far I am concerned about the historical and critical aspect, I will be dealing with mosaic as a image, involving both the formal and iconographycal point of view.

At the same time I will face question concerning materials. As a matter of fact, I want to think about the use of glass paste tesserae which is a choice, as we can see in S. Martino’s mosaic; and general speaking about the way they will used and made in Rome about the VI centuries.

Key-Words: mosaic, iconography, glass paste, tesserae, S. Martino ai Monti, Rome, Ravenna