The role of trace impurities for determining the original colour of transformed copper pigments in the 14th century Cathedral of Nativity of Theotokos of the Snetogorsky Monastery (Pskov, Russia)
Philippova O.S. Dmitriev A.Y. Fedorenko T.K. Grebenshchikova A.B. Lennik S.G.
November 2025Elsevier Ltd
Dyes and Pigments
2025#242
The 14th century murals with areas of changed colouration in the Cathedral of Nativity of Theotokos of the Snetogorsky Monastery (Pskov, Russia) were comprehensively studied. X-ray fluorescence analysis, Raman and infrared spectroscopy, and polarised light and electron microscopy were used for pigment identification. The investigation of green and blue copper pigments was of particular interest. It is known that both green and blue copper pigments form the same black-coloured compound at high temperature. Therefore, the original colour of blackened fragments is not obvious. It was found out that untransformed green and blue copper pigments are significantly different in impurities. It was suggested to use this result to distinguish blackened fragments and suppose possible original green or blue colour. A digital reconstruction of the transformed painting composition was carried out by means of the colours of the untransformed painting as references. Undertaken digital reconstruction clearly proves the correctness of the suggestion and corresponds to historical data as well as the common iconography of Old Russian wall painting. The elemental composition of plasters was determined using neutron activation analysis. The data obtained allowed distinguishing different plaster layers. The traces of organic compounds were revealed with the help of infrared spectroscopy. Efflorescences on wall surfaces and water-soluble salts in plasters were studied by spot analysis, which allowed us to determine the predominant type of salts and point out problem areas.
Colour change in painting , copper pigments , Digital reconstruction , Elemental and mineral composition , Old Russian murals
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie str. 6, Dubna, 141980, Russian Federation
Interregional Agency for Scientific Restoration of Works of Art, Kadashevskaya embankment 24, building 1, Moscow, Russian Federation
Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov str. 1, Almaty, 050032, Kazakhstan
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research
Interregional Agency for Scientific Restoration of Works of Art
Institute of Nuclear Physics
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026