Academic Materials Research Laboratory of Painted Artworks (ALMA)
Academic Materials Research Laboratory of Painted Artworks (ALMA) is a joint workplace of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the AS CR and the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (AFA Prague) established by the Contract of Association in 2004. Since 2014, ALMA has been an independent scientific department within the Institute’s structure. The laboratory’s main focus lies in testing and implementation of non-invasive and non-destructive micro-analytical techniques and methodologies in the field of materials research of paintings. These methodologies, closely related to interdisciplinary research of historical painting techniques performed at AFA Prague, help in evaluation of works of art in terms of their originality, age and provenance. Consequently, experimental research of painting pigments is focused not only on the materials properties, but also on historical methods of preparation and processes of degradation in the colour layer.
Presentation of ALMA research is in Research part.
ALMA website is here.
People
| Name | Department | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bezdička Petr, RNDr. Dr. | ALMA | 266172096, 266173112 | petrb@iic.cas.cz |
| Hradil David, Mgr., Ph.D., vedoucí | ALMA | 266172187 | hradil@iic.cas.cz |
| Kočí Eva, Ing., Ph.D. | ALMA | 266173115 | koci@iic.cas.cz |
| Švarcová Silvie, Ing., Ph.D. | ALMA | 266173115, 266173124 | svarcova@iic.cas.cz |
Equipment
The laboratory is equipped with powder X-ray microdiffraction (micro-XRD) for phase and structural analysis of pigments in microscale. Other methods are performed in the Centre of Instrumental Techniques – particularly the electron microscopy and the infrared spectroscopy. Advanced optical microscopes and non-invasive methods, among them e.g. portable XRF and UV/VIS spectroscopy, are accessible at AFA Prague.
Projects
| Title | Recipient | Principal investigator |
|---|---|---|
| Formation of metal soaps in paintings as a cause of their degradation | ÚACH | Bezdička Petr |
| Cement composite for radionuclide encasement | ČVUT | Bezdička Petr |
| Provenance analysis of Italian fine art by advanced approaches of geosciences and archaeometry | AVU | Hradil David |
Most cited papers
- Hradil D., Grygar T., Hradilová J., Bezdička P.: Clay and iron oxide pigments in the history of painting. Applied Clay Science 22/5 (2003), 223-236.
- Hradil D., Grygar T., Hrušková M., Bezdička P., Lang K., Schneeweiss O., Chvátal M.: Green earth pigment from the Kadaň region, Czech Republic; use of rare Fe-rich smectite. Clays and Clay Minerals 52/6 (2004), 767-778.
- Hradil D., Grygar T., Hradilová J., Bezdička P., Grűnwaldová V., Fogaš I., Miliani C.: Microanalytical identification of Pb-Sb-Sn yellow pigment in historical European paintings and its differentiation from lead tin and Naples yellows. Journal of Cultural Heritage 8/4 (2007), 377-386.
- Švarcová, S., Hradil, D., Hradilová, J., Kočí, E., Bezdička, P.: Micro-analytical evidence of origin and degradation of copper pigments found in Bohemian Gothic murals, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 395 (2009), 2037-2050
- Kotulanová E., Bezdička P., Hradil D., Hradilová J., Švarcová S., Grygar T.: Degradation of lead-based pigments by salt solutions. Journal of Cultural Heritage 10 (2009), 367-378.