Unraveling the canvas employed by Italian painter Carlo Ferrario in large-format artworks at the National Theater of Costa Rica

Abstract

The comprehensive study of artworks is key to understanding the temporal evolution of all the factors that surround it. A painting is generally composed of multiple layers and materials which are hidden from the naked eye because their surface colors are highly captivating. However, a fundamental pillar of an artwork is the canvas which usually has a special preparation to obtain the final finish desired by the artist. Here, we study the canvas employed by Italian painter Carlo Ferrario in two large-format paintings at the National Theater of Costa Rica. The main goal of the current research was to determine the state of conservation and major materials of the canvases used by the artist. We systematically explored samples of these canvases by means of Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. We were able to identify the canvas as, potentially, hemp based on morphological characteristics of the fiber. We estimated the amount of fatty acids by means of Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy resulting primarily in suberic, azelaic, sebasic, palmitic (C16), and stearic (C18). Hence, it could conceivably be hypothesised that the pictorial method in the studied paintings corresponds to the oil technique. This combination of findings provides support to establish efficient methodologies to the diagnosis of the conservation state of canvases. Furthermore, to comprehend that preserving these works of art for future generations as part of our Costa Rican cultural heritage demands a deeper understanding of the paintings, especially given that art conservation in the tropics is a topic still largely unexplored.