The Degradation of Daguerreotypes and the Relationship with Their Multi-Material Structure: A Multimodal Investigation
Year: 2023
Authors: Balbas DQ; Cattaneo B; Cagnini A; Belluzzo P; Rossi S; Fontana R; Striova J
Autors Affiliation: Natl Inst Opt CNR INO, Natl Res Council, Largo E Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Opificio Pietre Dure MiC, Lab Restauro Cartacei & Membranacei, Viale F Strozzi, 1, I-50129 Florence, Italy; Opificio Pietre Dure MiC, Lab Sci, Viale F Strozzi, 1, I-50129 Florence, Italy; Opificio Pietre Dure MiC, Lab Restauro Oreficerie, Via Alfani 78, I-50121 Florence, Italy.
Abstract: Preserving and analytically examining daguerreotypes is particularly challenging because of their multi-material and multi-component structure. Various sensors have been exploited to examine mainly the image plates of the daguerreotypes even though the degradation goes beyond this component. Micro-analyses have been the preferred method due to the nanoscale structure of the image particles. In this work, we propose comprehensive multi-modal non-invasive sensing to investigate the corrosion products present in nine daguerreotypes from the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia (FAF, Florence, Italy). The methodology proposed includes chemical and morphological analyses: portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), Raman microspectroscopy (mu-Raman), and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in reflection mode (mu-rFTIR) for the chemical identification. For the first time, optical coherence tomography (OCT) was deployed to record the cross-sectional and morphological data of the relevant corrosion formations on daguerreotypes in a contactless way. The results allowed the characterization, in a non-invasive mode at a microscopic level, of a wide range of degradation products produced by the interaction of the different elements present in the structure of the daguerreotypes. The aim was to verify the performance of the proposed methodology and to link the chemical and physical complexity of the entire structure, disclosed by the state-of-art sensors, to the daguerreotype degradation. The results draw attention to the need to monitor not only the image condition but the whole object as a partially closed system in constant interaction internally and with the environment.
Journal/Review: SENSORS
Volume: 23 (9) Pages from: 4341-1 to: 4341-15
More Information: This research is part of the Diagnostica Non invaSiva e conservazione di daghErrotipi e altri materiali fotografici (DIAGNOSE) project co-funded by Tuscany Region, POR FSC 2014-2020-Axis E mployment GiovaniSi (Grant No. CUP B53D21008070008), Museo Galileo, El.En. group, and the National Institute of Optics from the National Council of Research (CNR-INO), in collaboration with the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (OPD) and support from the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia.KeyWords: daguerreotypes; non-invasive sensing; vibrational spectroscopy; corrosion; optical instrumentation; Cu formates; metal carboxylates; OCT; XRFDOI: 10.3390/s23094341Citations: 4data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-11-10References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click hereConnecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here