On may 7th in Ferrara, during the “Salone dell’Arte del Restauro e della Conservazione dei Beni Culturali e Ambientali”, the volume Raffaello, La muta – Indagini e restauro, by Marco Ciatti and Maria Rosaria Valazzi, edition Edifir (Florence) was presented.

The restoration, by Opificio delle Pietre Dure, was combined with a diagnostic campaign involving the scientific laboratories of the Opificio together with CHNet (Florence and Bologna units) and CNR-INO.

The unit of Florence (INFN-LABEC) performed XRF measurements through CHNet-Fi compact scanning XRF spectrometer.

The “head” of CHNet-Fi XRF scanning spectrometer during the measurement

The unit of Bologna was involved in tomographic measurements, performed in the Opificio Laboratories with CHNet-Bo transportable instrumentation.

Sketch of the tomography experimental set-up.

Tomography was requested because a previous radiographic study had revealed the presence of many woodworm galleries in the wooden support.
TAC allowed localizing the exact position of the galleries and selecting the ones dangerous for the painting layer. Thus, the restorers were able to evaluate the conservation state of the painting and to plan the restoration work to the best.