Ilaria Pecorelli

The research project of PhD candidate Ilaria Pecorelli focuses on the study and application of laser instrumentation in the field of artifacts cleaning. The aim is to establish optimized parameters and operational practices that allow for the use of lasers without causing damage to the various treated polymers. The study focuses on the understanding of the cleaning process for organic artifacts, treating paintings made with the most commonly used binders in the artistic field, and removing typical overlying materials.

After conducting a preliminary review of the literature on different binders such as tempera, oil, modified alkyd oil, acrylic emulsion, and vinyl) specific experiments will be conducted on samples similar to the original techniques. Various state-of-the-art laser instruments with wavelengths including IR, UV, and VIS will be tested, and data will be obtained through dedicated diagnostic investigations.