Analytical study of the wall paintings in the Borgherini chapel in the Sant Pietro in Montorio church (Rome, Italy) by Sebastiano del Piombo

Abstract

The wall paintings "La Trasfigurazione" and "La Flagellazione" studied in the present work are located in the Sant Pietro in Montoro Church, which is an outstanding monument in Italian Renaissance style. Borgherini family commissioned the decoration of one of the Chapels in this church to Sebastiano del Piombo, one of the most relevant Italian painters at that time. The color palette identified in these paintings is in correspondence with the artistic technique used by the artist in each one of the paintings. Thus, earth pigments, green earth and smalt compose the color palette in "La Trasfigurazione", together with gilded decoration in punctual areas. In contrast, a richer palette has been characterized in the oil-based "La Flagellazione", including a number of copper pigments, lead white, tin yellow, vermillion, among other pigments characteristics of this technique. Interestingly, different artistic techniques have been identified in the paintings analyzed. Whereas fresco technique was used in "La Trasfigurazione", a drying oil has been identified in "La Flagellazione" suggesting the use of an oil technique here. Conventional analytical techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy-X-Ray Microanalysis, FTIR Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry have been combined with the voltammetry of microparticles.