diagnostic imaging

Art-Test moved!

Art-Test moved!

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We have chosen a new, more prestigious location. The new building ,Palazzo Frescobaldi, is way more central,with just a 5 min walk from Ponte Vecchio, but more importantly it offers an increased security level for our customers, thanks to a 24/7 guard at the entrance .

We will throw a party in spring to celebrate, as currently too many activities keep up busy and around the world… for your service!

The new address is:

Art-Test, Via Santo Spirito 11-13, 50125 Firenze.

Our telephone number will remain the same: 0039 055 2286478

Looking forward to welcoming you here!

Chinaware

MADE IN CHINA: GENUINE OR FAKE?

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Chinese porcelain is one of the great protagonists of the art market in recent years; but how do you prove that such pieces are worthy a relevant investment and are not fake?
Experience has taught that for great quality imitations, the traditional authentication methods based on the study of style, decoration, materials and trademarks, often proved to be inadequate. Even for porcelain artefacts scientific diagnostic is fundamental. For these artefacts chemical microsamples analyses are traditionally used, although in recent decades, advanced non-invasive techniques have developed that can limit (micro-) destructive sampling.
In this regard, we are pleased to remind you that on next 10 March, during “A bridge between art and science: past, present and future”, the 2016 National Congress of AIAr (Italian Association of Archaeometry of which Art-Test is a member), we will be guests of the University of Cosenza along with many scholars and professionals, teachers and researchers from universities and public research bodies, archaeologists and restorers to discuss diagnostic, restoration, preventive conservation and protection.
During the session “Characterization and Diagnostics” will present together with colleagues from S.T. Art-Test and one of the greatest experts of these artefacts, Riccardo Montanari, the intervention “A non-invasive approach for the authentication of oriental porcelain“. Our proposal is based on the integration of non-invasive fluorescence X-rays and computed tomography X-ray… more details on Thursday 10th!!
Our attention to the Chinese market does not stop there. It is an increasingly attractive market, especially now that the attention of Chinese collectors is turning also towards European paintings, as proven by the recent purchase at auction of a Modigliani by a Chinese tycoon for 170 million dollars. Art-Test is approaching this reality, following different paths… news on that will be coming soon!

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European Art’s path…to the Bozar!

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Concluding the semester of Italian Presidency of the EU Council and the exhibition “Ars Narrandi in Euope’s Gothic Age” at the Bozar, i.e. the Centre de Beaux-Arts in Brussels, (exhibition to be hosted from March 21 to August 17, 2015 at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rouen), a symposium entitled “Path to Europe: influences and contacts between Byzantium and the low countries” organized by BOZAR-EXPO in collaboration with the Catholic University of Louvain and the Leventis Foundation of Nicosia took place on  January 18, 2015.
Paul Dujardin, artistic director of the Bozar, and Bernard Coulie, Honorary Rector and President of the Catholic University of Leuven, has welcomed speakers at this conference focusing on how the influence of Byzantine painting on Flemish art through the mediation of the Italian cities, with particular reference to the role played by Siena.
Among the speakers, Dr. Mario Scalini, one of the curators of the exhibition “Ars Narrandi in Euope’s Gothic Age”, Soprintendente BSAE of Siena and Grosseto, has held a lecture entitled “Angelicae Cohortes: notes about armored saints and angels from Byzantium to the Low countries”.
The speech of Dr. Anna Pelagotti for Art-Test, “Under the gold: a database of underdrawing and material analyses on Sienese Paintings. Connections and dissimilarities among painting techniques across centuries and countries “, addressed the close relationship between the art object and the techniques used to achieve it and introduce the database of diagnostic investigations over hundred paintings from the Pinacoteca di Siena Art-Test Florence carried out in the past few months, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza of Siena and Grosseto, designed to compare and learn about the styles and techniques of about 65 artists between the thirteenth and fifteenth century and which can now be purchased (http://www.art-test.com/database-en/) either complete or by individual images.
For program details, please visit the dedicated webpage of the Bozar at https://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=15516&selectiondate=2015-01-18

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Happy Holidays from Art-Test!

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Here is the adoration of the Shepherds by Andrea di Niccolò (1470-1480), from the Conservatory of Santa Maria Maddalena in Siena and now in the Pinacoteca Nazionale. We have selected it to illustrate not only the nativity, but also our love for art and our satisfaction for discoveries which are possible through our research.
The results of scientific analyzes tell us much about the paintings :they speak, for example, of their genesis, the style and of the choices of the artist. Seeing part of the creative process allows us to ask ourselves  the right questions on who, why and when. The answers are never trivial and to learn more we don’t have much choice but to keep studying! A pleasure that we share with you .
This artwork is in fact part of “Under the gold”, the database of diagnostic images of a hundred paintings from the Pinacoteca of Siena that Art-Test Firenze has recently developed, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Siena and Grosseto. The database can be yours: here you will find more information (http://www.art-test.com/it/database-it/).

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Art-Test Firenze wishes everyone Merry Christmas and a New Year full of exciting discoveries!
We thank you for the interest with which you have followed us throughout 2014!
Our offices will be closed from December 23 to January 6 . For any urgent communication please contact us by e-mail to info@art-test.com.

salone-restauro

The Restoration fair in Florence is back: Save the date!!

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From the 13th to the 15th of November, Florence hosts the important Italian restoration biannual fair dedicated to paintings. Three days for the most important Italian and non-Italian realities in the field to meet, share and debate experience and achievements. How to combine art, technology and knowledge will be the central topic for this fourth edition.
This year the event is under has the patronage to the International EXPO 2015, and will host also the assembly of the about 1500 delegates of ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, with his triennial workshop on “Heritage and Landscapes as Humans Values”.
Art-Test invites you to participate Saturday 15th November, h.16:30, to the official presentation of “UNDER THE GOLD – A database of images and scientific data of 100 paintings of the Pinacoteca Nazionale of Siena”. A way to know in depth the way of drawing and painting of about 65 artists (among others: very famous artists Duccio, Lorenzetti, Memmi, but also less known ones like Benedetto di Bindo and Niccolò di Bonaccorso active in Siena between the XIII and XVI centuries)
Speakers will be Dr Mario Scalini Sovrintendent BSAE for Siena and Grosseto e Dr Ing Anna Pelagotti, for Art-Test Firenze.
We would love to meet and welcome you anytime during the 3 days at our stand, n.30. Please let us know that you are coming and we will provide you with complimentary entrance tickets.

 

More details on the Salone del Restauro web site: http://www.salonerestaurofirenze.org/2014/eng/default.asp

 

 

 

 

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Ars Narrandi in Europe’s Gothic Age, Siena and Art-Test at the BOZAR in Bruxelles

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More than 800 people took part to the inauguration of the exhibition “Painting from Siena: Ars Narrandi in Europe’s Gothic Age”, last September 9th at the Palais de Beaux-Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels.
Also the President of the European Commission, Jose’ Manuel Barroso, joined the event, (and in his speech mentioned his love for Siena), together with the Italian Minister for Environment, Galletti, the Italian Ambassador in Belgium, Bastinelli, and the host, the BOZAR director Dujardin, welcoming the exposition and its curators: the Superintendent of Siena and Grosseto, Scalini, and the director of the Sienese Pinacoteca, Guiducci.
Art-Test produced a slide presentation describing some of the results of the analyses on about 50 of the paintings currently on show, which is not displayed within the exhibition. We are happy to hear that is was well received both by the public and the scholars.
The next 18th January a symposium, co-organized by BOZAR and UCL, on “Byzantium and the Flemish Art, Contact and Influence” will be held on the occasion of the exhibition. Both dr. Scalini, for MIUR, and dr. ing. Anna Pelagotti, for Art-Test will give a talk, focusing on the findings possible with the information available within the database.
To know more about Bozar: https://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=14090&selectiondate=2014-11-06

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The Superintender Scalini and the President of the European Commission at the opening.

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Siena for IT presidency of EU in Brussels

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Among the initiatives for the Italian Semester of Presidency of the European Union (1st July- 31st Dec 2014), the exhibition “Ars Narrandi in the Gothic Age of Europe” (9/11 2014 – 18/1 2015) will enchant visitors at the BOZAR (Centre for Fine Arts) of Bruxelles.
The collaboration between Pinacoteca di Siena and the Musée des Beaux-Artes di Rouen will present more than 60 artworks of Sienese painters working in XIII- XV century period.
A fascinating route through the stylistic evolution from the Byzantine stateliness to new spatial concepts, to unusual and vivid colors which influenced also other Italian and European schools when Italy and Siena in particular hosted the most daring modernity.
The exposition icon is the splendid Madonna dell’Umiltà by Giovanni di Paolo (in the picture), which together with other 30 artworks lend to the Belgian exposition belong to the group of paintings of the Pinacoteca of Siena which Art-Test analyzed and will be included in the 100 works database, already announced in one of our previous newsletter. At the Bozar visitors can also watch a presentation regarding the most interesting findings of the analysis performed by Art-Test on some of the paintings in the exhibition.

Further reading: http://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=14090&selectiondate=2014-09-01

 

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A newly discovered “instagram” of men at work on the Florence’s Dome in 1601!

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The diagnostic campaign performed on the “Annunciation” of Santi di Tito in the Carmine Church in Pisa lead to an unexpected discovery and to new insights, crucial for dating the painting.
On top of the XRF analyses planned in order to achieved data on the materials present on the painting, and help defining the best treatments thereafter, Art-Test added a scanning InGaAs infrared refectography, to visualize the underdrawing. A surprising detail was then revealed of the preparatory sketch of the “lantern” of the Cathedral’s dome, not visible to the naked eye. As visible in the above picture, on the right side of the building appears a sort of crane.

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But why was there a crane on the top of the Dome? This is a recovered memory of a very specific moment in history, which was hidden already when the painter moved from the underdrawing to the paint layers.
It is recorded that in 1601 a lighting stroke the “Cupola“ severely damaging it, and even the Verrocchio’s bronze ball (atop the lantern) felt off, rolling in the Dome’s square, where a marble disk still reminds of this unfortunate event.
The presence of the crane detail may mean that the underdrawing could have been realized during the lantern restoration, started just after the event. Food for thought for historians, and appreciation for the achievement of our diagnostics tools, as our analysis brought new insight on the period and methods of executions of the painting but also on history of building technique.
A broader publication is due to come soon.
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Groundbreaking reference database in Siena built upon Art-Test scans and data

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Art-Test started just recently working in Siena, on this extensive database, after winning the public competition published by Sovrintendenza of Siena and Grosseto. The project includes the analyses of a selection of masterpieces, both currently exposed and in the deposits, some of which never tested before. A database of diagnostic data, Xrays, IR reflectographies, techniques and materials concerning 100 paintings from the Pinacoteca Nazionale of Siena. The outcome will provide a reliable and scientific way of comparing materials and techniques employed by the different painters, schools and periods. An indispensable tool for those studying works of art of such period and/or by the same authors. A great help for authentication and attributions purposes.  It is the first time that such an ambitious project in this field sees the collaboration of public and private institutions.

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Art Diagnostics as far as Azerbaijan

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The Association YOuth in COnservation of CUltural heritage (YOCOCU) was born 6 years ago, to favour contacts and build a concrete network of young professionals in art conservation, covering a wide range of expertises.
The firs three conferences were held between Italy and Belgium (Roma 2008, Palermo 2010 and Antwerp 2012), however for this year edition, the select hosting city was Agsu in Azerbaijan, with clear intention to, also in this fields, bridge Russian speaking countries and all the Middle East with Europe.
A well praised event, as conferences and workshop are an indispensable means to establish concrete relationships and share work experiences. Especially in a truly multidisciplinary enviroment such as that of art conservation and preservation where chemistry, physics, biology, restoration studies intermingle.
yococu_sitoF. Alberghina, L. Damiani, S. Schiavone together with Art-Test and S.T.Art-Test took part to the workshop with the paper “How many layers of what? An integrated non-invasive approach for the understanding of painting’s stratigraphy” in the “Pigments and Paintings” section.
To know more about YOCOCU: http//www.yococu.com/

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