The Crucifixion: a panel painting in the museum of Colle del Duomo in Viterbo (Italy). New insights in the light of a first analytical campaign

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a first diagnostic campaign on a little panel painting, representing a Crucifixion (first half of the 16th century), exposed in the Museum of Colle del Duomo in Viterbo (Italy). The painting has been attributed to Michelangelo’s workshop but some doubts still remain about the dating and the possible author. Recently, a diagnostic campaign was performed, applied for the first time to this painting, in order to add new knowledge and information on the materials and techniques with the aim at supporting the attribution and the authorship. In particular, different photographic techniques, by infrared and ultraviolet radiation, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy were applied, in a totally non-invasive modality. The combined results from the different techniques allowed for characterizing the pigments and for discovering some interesting details of the painting techniques such as the “double” face of Saint John the Evangelist. This finding together with the historical documentation made possible some new hypothesis on the painting.