The Pulpit of San Leonardo in Arcetri is one of the most representative works of the 11th century in Tuscany. Composed of six relief panels depicting scenes from the Bible and architectural elements with two-colour inlay work, it is first mentioned as being located in the Church of San Pier Scheraggio in Florence. After being dismantled during the 16th century, the remaining fragments of the pulpit were reassembled, in 1782, in the Church of San Leonardo in Arcetri. In 1921 it was dismantled again and reassembled in the same church by the architect Giuseppe Castellucci from the Opificio delle Pietre Dure workshop, with the addition of new architectural elements. In 2009 the pulpit was once again restored by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. Our work involved carrying out a series of experiments in order to select two types of mortar for restoration work, made using traditional materials, for the replacement of the poorly conserved twentieth-century mortars. The task of these mortars was in one case to link the existing architectural elements with one another and in the other to attach new additional elements created in order to repair the damage to the decorative inlay work. The study was developed in a number of phases. The first involved gathering the technological information found in the pertinent literature, while the second involved making tests mortars on-site by choosing appropriate traditional materials (a lime paste binder with an aggregate composed of siliceous sand or marble dust and hydraulicised products such as cocciopesto and pozzolan), following a precise methodological approach in order to identify the correct binder/aggregate ratio and grain distribution. During the third phase, the test mortars were subjected to adhesion and full immersion water absorption tests. Once the experiments were completed, it was possible to select two mixes with excellent characteristics in terms of breathability, physical and chemical compatibility with the supporting elements (marble), mechanical resistance and appearance, appropriate for the specific case of the pulpit. The work therefore offered an important opportunity to define the right choice of materials and the best way to make mortars suitable for restoring such a significant artwork.

Sperimentazione di nuove malte da restauro: il caso del Pulpito di San Leonardo in Arcetri / Gomez Ubierna M.; Pecchioni E.; Fratini F.; Cagnini A.; Galeotti M.; Porcinai S.. - In: ARKOS. - ISSN 1974-7950. - STAMPA. - 25:(2011), pp. 20-25.

Sperimentazione di nuove malte da restauro: il caso del Pulpito di San Leonardo in Arcetri

PECCHIONI, ELENA;
2011

Abstract

The Pulpit of San Leonardo in Arcetri is one of the most representative works of the 11th century in Tuscany. Composed of six relief panels depicting scenes from the Bible and architectural elements with two-colour inlay work, it is first mentioned as being located in the Church of San Pier Scheraggio in Florence. After being dismantled during the 16th century, the remaining fragments of the pulpit were reassembled, in 1782, in the Church of San Leonardo in Arcetri. In 1921 it was dismantled again and reassembled in the same church by the architect Giuseppe Castellucci from the Opificio delle Pietre Dure workshop, with the addition of new architectural elements. In 2009 the pulpit was once again restored by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. Our work involved carrying out a series of experiments in order to select two types of mortar for restoration work, made using traditional materials, for the replacement of the poorly conserved twentieth-century mortars. The task of these mortars was in one case to link the existing architectural elements with one another and in the other to attach new additional elements created in order to repair the damage to the decorative inlay work. The study was developed in a number of phases. The first involved gathering the technological information found in the pertinent literature, while the second involved making tests mortars on-site by choosing appropriate traditional materials (a lime paste binder with an aggregate composed of siliceous sand or marble dust and hydraulicised products such as cocciopesto and pozzolan), following a precise methodological approach in order to identify the correct binder/aggregate ratio and grain distribution. During the third phase, the test mortars were subjected to adhesion and full immersion water absorption tests. Once the experiments were completed, it was possible to select two mixes with excellent characteristics in terms of breathability, physical and chemical compatibility with the supporting elements (marble), mechanical resistance and appearance, appropriate for the specific case of the pulpit. The work therefore offered an important opportunity to define the right choice of materials and the best way to make mortars suitable for restoring such a significant artwork.
2011
25
20
25
Gomez Ubierna M.; Pecchioni E.; Fratini F.; Cagnini A.; Galeotti M.; Porcinai S.
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/653022
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