FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY AND THE ANALYTICAL STUDY OF SCULPTURES AND WALL DECORATION

An analytical examination of sculpture and wall painting, including se veral wooden polychromed carvings from Valencian churches (15th-17th c enturies) using FT-IR spectroscopy is described. The organic and inorg anic compounds used in the works of art and the different artistic tec hniques used in each historical intervention carried out in the sculpt ures are identified. The analytical information obtained with this tec hnique on organic and inorganic compounds is extremely useful in the p reliminary studies necessary for diagnosis and to decide on the conser vation process. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.