The rediscovery of religious art in Francesco Nagni and the diagnostic study of selected artefacts

Abstract

This paper summarises the study of the vast artistic production of the sculptor Francesco Nagni (Viterbo 1897/1977), with particular attention to the collection of models and plaster casts preserved in the Museum of Colle del Duomo in Viterbo. Francesco Nagni can be considered as a forgotten artist in his town, even if he contributed significantly to history of art between the two World Wars and also subsequently through religious artworks. Nagni produced several works of art in Italy and abroad, in Canada, Brazil, Philippines and in the Vatican city. This paper aims at outlining an ‘excursus’ of Nagni artistic production through time, with a specific focus on religious art. The main objectives of the research presented in this paper are: 1) the recognition and dating of artworks; 2) the comparison between models and final artefacts; 3) the diagnostic investigation on selected models preserved in the Museum of Viterbo, by applying non-invasive and micro-invasive techniques, such as ultraviolet fluorescence photography, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and micro-stratigraphic analysis