Handel pigmentami miedziowymi ze złóż świętokrzyskich w świetle źródeł archiwalnych

The old Kingdom of Poland had two significant centres for copper ores exploitation in the region of Świętokrzyskie Mountains: Miedzianka, located in the mountain rangeof Chęciny, and Miedziana Góra, now situated in the urban agglomeration of Kielce. The article addresses the 16th and 17th-century trade in copper pigments (azurite, malachite, and verdigris) obtained from the deposits mentioned above. As for archival sources, information about trade in art supplies appears in legal documents regarding mining towns’ privileges and in financial records, such as the accounts of the royal court and of the court of Cracow bishops, in surveys of royal estates, as well as surveys of the landed property of Cracow bishops and of the Cracow Cathedral Chapter. The study of the few remaining copies of books of the Chęciny mine governor (zupparius) and of the city records, where details about both the sellers and their debtors can be found, provided valuable information about the mines’ operations. The data collected indicate that pigments from Świętokrzyskie Mountains deposits were used for the decorations of the Wawel Castle in Cracow and the Royal Castle in Warsaw, as well as for the decorations of the Castle of the Grand-Duke in Vilnius, and that some pigments, e.g., malachite, were exported to Western Europe.W regionie geograficznym Gór Świętokrzyskich, w pobliżu Kielc, znajdowały się dwa ważne w okresie staropolskim ośrodki wydobycia rud miedzi – położona w Paśmie Chęcińskim Miedzianka oraz leżąca w obecnej aglomeracji kieleckiej Miedziana Góra. Artykuł porusza zagadnienie handlu pigmentami miedziowymi (azurytem, malachitem i grynszpanem) pochodzącymi z przedmiotowych złóż na przestrzeni XVI–XVIII w. W źródłach archiwalnych informacje na temat handlu materiałami artystycznymi pojawiają się w dokumentach prawnych dotyczących przywilejów górniczych oraz aktach gospodarczych, w tym rachunkach dworów królewskich i biskupich, a także lustracjach dóbr królewskich i majątków biskupstwa krakowskiego oraz krakowskiej kapituły katedralnej. Cenne wiadomości o funkcjonowaniu kopalń pozyskano również z fragmentarycznie zachowanych w odpisach chęcińskich ksiąg żupniczych oraz akt miejskich, gdzie zawarte są również szczegóły dotyczące zarówno sprzedawców, jak i ich dłużników. Zebrane informacje wskazują, że pigmenty ze złóż świętokrzyskich wykorzystywano do dekoracji zamków królewskich w Krakowie i Warszawie oraz zamku wielkoksiążęcego w Wilnie, a niektóre z nich, jak np. malachit, eksportowano do Europy Zachodniej

Historic paint investigation of the Gierczyn parish church painted decoration in the context of the mining history of the region

The painted decoration of the Gierczyn parish church situated in the Izera Mountains was studied in the context of the rich mining history of the region known for tin, copper, and cobalt ores extraction. Smalt and copper pigments identification is discussed in the context of possible provenance studies. The aim is to determine to what extent the decoration of the parish church in Gierczyn reflects the mining history of the region and to verify whether local materials could have been used. Historic paint investigation is supported by chemical analysis of pigments. Additionally, the paper presents results of research combining archival studies of copper and cobalt extraction, and smalt production in nearby Przecznica, and of the parish church which was the main temple for local miners

Antimony and Nickel Impurities in Blue and Green Copper Pigments

Impurities in paint layers executed with green and blue copper pigments, although relatively common, have been studied only little to date. Yet, their proper identification is a powerful tool for classification of paintings, and, potentially, for future provenance studies. In this paper, we present analyses of copper pigments layers from wall paintings situated in the vicinity of copper ore deposits (the palace in Kielce, the palace in Ciechanowice, and the parish church in Chotków) located within the contemporary borders of Poland. We compare the results with the analyses of copper minerals from three deposits, two local, and one historically important for the supply of copper in Europe, i.e., Miedzianka in the Holy Cross Mountains, Miedzianka in the Sudetes, and, as a reference, Špania Dolina in the Slovakian Low Tatra. Optical (OM) and electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) have been used for a detailed investigation of the minute grains. Special attention has been devoted to antimony and nickel phases, as more unusual than the commonly described iron oxides. Analyses of minerals from the deposits helped to interpret the results obtained from the paint samples. For the first time, quantitative analyses of copper pigments’ impurities have been described

Gothic green glazed tile from Malbork Castle: multi-analytical study

Abstract Looking at the façade of a historical building, it is often difficult to distinguish between the original decoration and later additions. One such building is the Holy Virgin Mary Church at the Malbork Castle (Northern Poland), built between 1276 and 1406. During the latest restoration works, ceramic tiles with some remnants of the green glaze, decorating the Holy Virgin Mary Church façade, were studied in situ using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Micro-samples were analyzed in laboratory by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDS) and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–WDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray micro-diffraction. We found that what was originally thought to be a paint layer was in fact a heavily deteriorated SiO2–PbO glaze. White, yellow and black pigments were found to have been added into the glaze as opacifiers and colorants. Copper and iron were used as glaze colorants. The originally added pigments were transformed into new phases, such as antimony-doped tin oxide. The technology used to produce the glazed tiles was identified. All the results collectively confirmed the medieval origin of the green glazed tiles. Graphical abstract Gothic green glazed tile from Malbork Castle: multi-analytical study

Antimony and Nickel Impurities in Blue and Green Copper Pigments

Impurities in paint layers executed with green and blue copper pigments, although relatively common, have been studied only little to date. Yet, their proper identification is a powerful tool for classification of paintings, and, potentially, for future provenance studies. In this paper, we present analyses of copper pigments layers from wall paintings situated in the vicinity of copper ore deposits (the palace in Kielce, the palace in Ciechanowice, and the parish church in Chotków) located within the contemporary borders of Poland. We compare the results with the analyses of copper minerals from three deposits, two local, and one historically important for the supply of copper in Europe, i.e., Miedzianka in the Holy Cross Mountains, Miedzianka in the Sudetes, and, as a reference, Špania Dolina in the Slovakian Low Tatra. Optical (OM) and electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) have been used for a detailed investigation of the minute grains. Special attention has been devoted to antimony and nickel phases, as more unusual than the commonly described iron oxides. Analyses of minerals from the deposits helped to interpret the results obtained from the paint samples. For the first time, quantitative analyses of copper pigments’ impurities have been described

Study of Interactions between Titanium Dioxide Coating and Wood Cell Wall Ultrastructure

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used as a UV light absorber to protect wood matter from photodegradation. In this paper, interactions between wood and TiO2 coating are studied, and the efficiency of the coating is evaluated. For the experiments, two wood species were chosen: beech (Fagus sylvatica) and pine (Pinus sylvestris). Molecular and physical modifications in coated and uncoated wood exposed to UV radiation were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-VIS spectroscopy was used to describe the absorption of UV light by the TiO2 planar particles chosen for the experiment. It was demonstrated that TiO2 coating protects wood against photodegradation to a limited extent. TEM micrographs showed fissures in the wood matter around clusters of TiO2 particles in beech wood