Microbes can contribute to the preservation of works of old masters and to help in establishing their authenticity
ARTinvestment.RU   29 июня 2020

This is the conclusion reached by scientists who study the surfaces of paintings

the Microorganisms present on the surface of the works of old masters can change the rules for authentication and preservation of works of art from the middle Ages and the Renaissance and other periods and eras. To this conclusion came the American team of specialists from the Institute of John. Craig Venter (JCVI), a well-known research center, which is affiliated with the Institute for genomic research.

In the study, which is called "the first large-scale study on the basis of genomics to understand microbial communities associated with aging works of art" were used samples taken from the surfaces of works created mostly in the Renaissance and in private collections of Florence. According to the findings of scientists, the microorganisms accumulated on the surface of the work during the long years of its existence, have a unique composition that helps, with his thorough analysis and fixing, identify fraud and confirm the authenticity of a particular painting or sculpture. In addition, their properties can be used for preservation and prevention of destruction or any other colorful surface layer of the artwork (the principle of patina).

moreover, having defined the data, you can even put the map of the movements of works of art: scientists say that when you move the item from one region to another, its surface is inevitably colonized by bacteria, common in the region. Commenting on the results of the study to the Agency "France-Пресс", microbiologist Manolito Torralba said, "We can't specify the exact timeline of these movements... but I can say that the object comes from a certain [geographic] area."

Similar studies may also be useful to establish the authenticity of the work: modern technologies allow to distinguish from samples taken from the surface of the work, DNA samples of their author. Approval Torralba: "Many Renaissance artists used her own biological material in the works... Leonardo and others [the authors] were known to use their saliva, and some — blood." Thus, if researchers be the DNA sample of the author, they will be able with a sufficient degree of probability to confirm the authenticity of a particular work. In particular, this method would certainly be able to answer the question about the authenticity of some works attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, as historians know the exact place of his burial in the castle of Amboise in France.

as for restoration, the knowledge of what bacteria are in the composition of the surface layer of the work and how they interact with the paint, lacquer or other organic compounds in its composition (it is known that many bacteria eat oil paint or canvas), to avoid accidental damage to works when trying to get rid of this bacterial layer. "We know that we can determine their composition, — Torralba said, referring to the colony of microorganisms present on the surface of the work. — the Next step will bediscover what they do and what to eat, and then we will have the opportunity to pick up a very specific approach to the destruction of these bacteria are not hazardous to works of art".

the Material was prepared by Maria Kuznetsova, AI

Source: dailystar.com.lb