Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T23:42:53.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spanish and Portuguese Gilding Threads: Characterization Using Microscopic Techniques

Part of: Micrographia Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2018

Jose Luis Perez-Rodriguez ,
Antonio Albardonedo ,
Maria Dolores Robador  and
Adrian Duran
Jose Luis Perez-Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Materials Science Institute of Seville, CSIC-Seville University, Americo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
Antonio Albardonedo
Affiliation:
Faculty of Art History, University of Seville, Doña Maria de Padilla 1, 41004 Seville, Spain
Maria Dolores Robador
Affiliation:
Technical Architecture Faculty, University of Seville, Reina Mercedes 4, 41002 Seville, Spain
Adrian Duran*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, Irunlarrea 1, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
*
Author for correspondence: Adrian Duran, E-mail: adrianduran@unav.es
Get access

Abstract

Gilding threads collected from Spanish and Portuguese palaces and from the embroideries and adornments of sculptures of the Virgin and Christ that form part of Sevillian Holy Week were analyzed and compared (20 artifacts were evaluated). The study covered a broad time period with examples from the 13th to 14th centuries, 18th to 20th centuries, and also including modern embroideries. A combination of scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used. The knowledge of the layered structures of the threads has provided very valuable information regarding the manufacturing techniques. The different metal threads found in the embroidery studied consisted of gold, silver, copper, and alloys of these metals and aluminium. The fabrication procedures often differed in the different workshops and changed with time. In the modern embroideries, a decrease of precious metal concentration was detected. The threads were wound around a core of silk threads.

Keywords

gilding threadsembroiderymetalsfibersmanufacturing techniques
Type
Micrographia
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 24 , Issue 5 , October 2018 , pp. 574 - 590
Copyright
© Microscopy Society of America 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alves, C, Figueiredo, C, Mauricio, A Aires-Barros, L (2013) Susceptibility of limestone petrographic features to salt weathering: A scanning electron microscopy study. Microsc Microanal 19, 1231–1240.Google Scholar
Arquillo Torres, J (1989) Aspectos socio-religiosos de la conservación de las representaciones escultóricas marianas. Influencia de tres imágenes medievales representativas, Tesis Doctoral, Sevilla.Google Scholar
Balta, ZI, Csedreki, L, Furu, E, Cretu, I, Huszank, R, Lupu, M, Torok, Z, Kertesz, Z Szikszai, Z (2015) Ion beam analysis of golden threads from Romanian medieval textiles. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 348, 285–290.Google Scholar
Csiszar, G, Ungar, T Jaro, M (2013) Correlation between the sub-structure parameters and the manufacturing technologies of metal threads in historical textiles using X-ray line profile analysis. Appl Phys A 111, 897–906.Google Scholar
Duran, A, Perez-Maqueda, R Perez-Rodriguez, JL (2018) Corrosion and degradation of historic metal threads used in Spanish and Portuguese ornamentation, J Cult Herit (Under Review).Google Scholar
Enguita, O, Climent-Font, A, García, G, Montero, I, Fedi, ME, Chiari, M Lucarelli, F (2002) Characterization of metal threads using differential PIXE analysis. Nucl Instr & Meth in Phys Res B 189, 328–333.Google Scholar
Espejo, T, Duran, A, Lopez-Montes, A Blanc, R (2010) Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques for the study of paper supports and textile used in the binding of hispano-arabic manuscripts from Al-Andalus: A transition model in the 15th century. J Cult Herit 11, 50–58.Google Scholar
García Fernández, MS (2011) Sillón del Trono de Carlos III, en catálogo exposición Tesoros de los Palacios Reales de España. Una historia compartida, México 118, 452–453.Google Scholar
Gettens, RJ Stout, GL (1966) Painting Materials: A Short Encyclopaedia. New York: Dover Publications Inc.Google Scholar
Hacke, AM, Carr, CM Brown, A (2004) Characterisation of metal threads in Renaissance tapestries. In Proceedings of Metal 2004, October 4–8, pp. 415–426. Canberra: National Museum of Australia.Google Scholar
Hernandez Díaz, J (1971) Iconografía medieval de la Madre de Dios en el antiguo reino de Sevilla, Madrid, Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.Google Scholar
Herrera, LK, Justo, A, Duran, A, Jimenez de Haro, MC, Franquelo, ML Perez-Rodriguez, JL (2010) Identification of cellulose fibres belonging to Spanish cultural heritage using synchrotron high resolution X-ray diffraction. Appl Phys A 99, 391–398.Google Scholar
Hoke, E Petraschek-Heim, I (1977) Micro-probe analysis of gilded silver threads from mediaeval textiles. Stud Conserv 22, 49–62.Google Scholar
Jaro, M (1990) Gold embroidery and fabrics in Europe: XI-XIV centuries. Gold Bull 23(2), 40–57.Google Scholar
Jaro, M, Gal, T Toth, A (2000) The characterization and deterioration of modern metallic threads. Stud Conserv 45(2), 95–105.Google Scholar
Jiang, S, Cao, G, Cai, G, Xu, W, Li, W Wang, X (2016) Unidirectional torsion properties of single silk fibre. Fibres Text East Eur 24(3), 26–30.Google Scholar
Karatzani, A (2008) Study and analytical investigation of metal threads from Byzantine/Greek ecclesisastical textiles. Xray Spectrom 37, 410–417.Google Scholar
Kim, J, Hee Lee, C, Kim, RH Shin, EJ (2013) Characterization of White and Black deposits on the surface of Korean stone cultural heritages. Microsc Microanal 19(Suppl 5), 167–171.Google Scholar
Laguna Paúl, T (2013) Devociones reales e imagen pública en Sevilla. Anal Hist Arte 23(II), 127–157.Google Scholar
Lopez, P, Bobone, AM Bessone, S (Cood./Ed.) 2002) Museo Nacional de las Carrozas. Guía. Lisboa: Museu Nacional dos Coches. p. 35.Google Scholar
Mettmann, W (1986) Alfonso X, el sabio. Cantigas de Santa María, Cantiga CCXCII, Madrid, Clasicos Castalia (ed.).Google Scholar
Migliori, A, Grassi, N Mando, PA (2008) Scanning-PIXE analysis of gold lace embroideries in a relic of St. Francis. Nucl Instr & Meth in Phys Res B 266, 2339–2342.Google Scholar
Nord, AG Tronner, K (2000) A note on the analysis of gilded metal embroidery threads. Stud Conserv 45(4), 274–279.Google Scholar
Pastor, A (2016) La Semana Santa de Sevilla, Copitise. Available at www.copitise.es/index.asp?id=6203 (retrieved December 20, 2017).Google Scholar
Perez-Rodriguez, JL, Perez-Maqueda, R, Franquelo, ML Duran, A (2018) Study of the thermal decomposition of historical metal threads, J cTherm Anal Calorim (in press), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6924-x.Google Scholar
Ravines, P, Erdman, N McElroy, R (2016) An examination of the surface and sub-surface of modern and historical platinum photographic prints using low vacuum high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Microsc Microanal 22, 857–864.Google Scholar
Rezic, I, Curkovic, L Ujevic, M (2010) Simple methods for characterization of metals in historical textile threads. Talanta 82, 237–244.Google Scholar
Sancho, JL (2000) Una decoración napolitana para Carlos III, Rey de España: el Salón del Trono del Palacio Real de Madrid. Antol Belle Arti 59–62, 83–105.Google Scholar
Sancho, JL (2011) Trône du roi Charles III de Espagne, en catálogo exposición Trônes en majesté. París: l´autorité et son symbole. pp. 282–283.Google Scholar
Sancho, JL, Moya, JG Martinez Shaw, C (2005) Palacio Real de Madrid. Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Madrid: Patrimonio Nacional.Google Scholar
Shibayama, N, Wypyski, M Gagliardi-Mangilli, E (2015) Analysis of natural dyes and metal threads used in the 16th-18th century Persian/Safavid and Indian/Mughal velvets by HPLC-PDA and SEM-EDS to investigate the system to differentiate velvets of these two cultures. Heritage Sci 3, 12.Google Scholar
Tovar Martin, V, Valverde Merino, JL Soria Carreras, S (2005) Palacio Real de Aranjuez, Ministerio de Educacion y Cultura. Madrid: Patrimonio Nacional.Google Scholar
Tronner, K, Nord, AG, Sjöstedt, J Hydman, H (2002) Extremely thin gold layers on gilded silver threads. Stud Conserv 47(2), 109–116.Google Scholar
Wassilkowska, A, Czaplicka-Kotas, A, Zielina, M Bielski, A (2014) An analysis of the elemental composition of micro-samples using EDS technique. Tech Trans Chem 1-Ch, 133–148.Google Scholar