Fundado em 1153, o Mosteiro de Alcobaça reflete os valores originais da Ordem de Cister através da sua arquitetura austera e despojada. Os ladrilhos vidrados que outrora revestiam o pavimento da abside funcionavam, assim, como um raro elemento decorativo através dos padrões criados com as suas diferentes cores e formatos. Considerados peças originais do século XIII, estes ladrilhos serão um dos primeiros exemplos de azulejaria em Portugal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a sua paleta cromática, através do estudo multi-analítico dos vidrados. As técnicas utilizadas foram a microscopia ótica (MO), a micro-espectrometria de emissão de raios-X induzida por partículas (μ-PIXE) e a microscopia eletrónica de varrimento com espectroscopia de raios-X por dispersão de energia (SEM-EDS). As cores identificadas nos ladrilhos, todos monocromáticos, foram o branco, o azul-turquesa, o castanho e diferentes tonalidades de verde. As análises efetuadas permitiram concluir que esta paleta se deve à presença de óxidos de estanho, de cobre e de ferro em vidrados plumbíferos. A identificação de vidrados opacificados por estanho sugere que este é um dos primeiros exemplos do uso desta tecnologia islâmica em pavimentos de cerâmica no Portugal cristão.

This paper reports the results of a multi analytical research undertaken on a mural and on a panel painting altarpiece authored by Jose de Escovar in 1603, one of the most productive and controversial painters working for Evora Archiepiscopate at the end of the 16th century and beginning of the 17th century. The two paintings are among his first documented artworks in the region and the only case where both are still in their original architectural location - the Chapel of the Souls in the main church of Vila Nova da Baronia (30 km away from the city of Evora). Jose de Escovar is a well-known mural painter but not much is still known about his other skills. To better define his craftsmanship, comparison of technical features and painting materials employed on both supports and paint layers was carried out using a multi-analytical setup for in situ analyses and laboratory characterization. The analytical campaign comprised technical photography (UVF-Vis-IR), portable EDXRF, OM, XRD, SEM/EDS, mu-Raman, mu-FT-IR and py-GC/MS. The results showed that although Jose de Escovar was considered a minor painter, he was clearly acquainted with both painting techniques and the use of different materials in accordance with the pictorial specifications and traditions at the time in Europe.

This work intends to study a set of Hispano-Moresque tile fragments from the Lisbon Roman Theatre Museum collection. The chemical and morphological characterization of the glazes and the ceramic body was presented and also the mineralogical characterization of the latter. The glazes are plumbic, being the opacity of the white and blue colors due to SnO2 (4-11 %). The other colors present amounts of SnO2 lower than 2 %. The ceramic body is typical of calcite-based pastes with CaO between 16-28 % and Fe2O3 between 4-5 %, the latter being responsible for the cream/ rose color. The mineralogical study identified wollastonite, calcite, diopside and calcic plagioclases. The results indicate that the firing temperature was generally around 1000 ºC while in some cases it was probably closer to 900 ºC. Physical characterization revealed values of 30-42 % for open porosity, a bimodal pore size distribution, a maximum water absorption of 16-26 % and a water absorption coefficient by capillarity of 1,5-6,1 kg·m-2·h-1/2.

This work explores the combination of mu-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) for the study of the glazes in 15th-16th century Hispano-Moresque architectural tiles. These are high lead glazes that can be tinopacified or transparent, and present five colors: tin-white, cobalt-blue, copper-green, iron-amber, and manganese-brown. They are generally homogenous and mineral inclusions are mostly concentrated in the glaze-ceramic interface. Through SEM-EDS, these inclusions were observed and chemically analyzed, whereas mu-Raman allowed their identification on a molecular level. K-feldspars, wollastonite and diopside were the most common compounds, as well as cassiterite agglomerates that render the glaze opaque. Malayaite was identified in green glazes, and andradite and magnesioferrite in amber glazes. Co-Ni-ferrites were identified in blue glazes, as well as Ni-Fe-olivines. Manganese-brown is the color where most compounds were identified: bustamite, jacobsite, hausmannite, braunite, and kentrolite. Through the mu-Raman analysis of different areas in large inclusions previously observed by SEM, it was possible to identify intermediate phases that illustrate the reaction process that occurs between the color-conferring compounds and the surrounding lead glaze. Furthermore, the obtained results allowed inference of the raw materials and firing temperatures used on the manufacture of these tiles.

For the first time, Hispano‐Moresque glazed tiles from Portuguese and Spanish collections were studied together and compared. This work is included in a wider study tackling the technology of Hispano‐Moresque tile production from several collections in the Iberian Peninsula. While showing many similarities, differences were identified between collections, regarding both chemical and morphological characteristics. The collection from the Mosteiro de Santa Clara‐a‐Velha (Coimbra) stands out from the other collections, with higher SnO 2 content (up to 14 wt%), the highest Fe 2 O 3 contents in amber glazes and a Ca‐rich interface layer (mostly comprised of wollastonite, CaSiO 3 ). Samples from Palácio Nacional de Sintra (near Lisbon) and Seville‐attributed samples (from the Instituto Valencia de Don Juan) are chemically similar, except that most Sintra's samples display a K‐rich glaze/ceramic interface, whereas the ones from Seville exhibit both K‐rich and Ca‐rich inclusions. The samples attributed to Toledo show glazes with many inclusions, contrasting with the homogeneous glazes in most Hispano‐Moresque tiles. From these results, we identify differences that can be used as markers in future studies on Hispano‐Moresque tiles .

This article reports the preliminary results of a technical and material study carried out on a 17th century panel painting located at the Chapel of the Souls in the main church of Vila Nova da Baronia (30 km away from Evora city, in southern Portugal). This painting is attributed to Jose the Escovar, a painter that worked for Evora Archiepiscopate between 1583 and 1622. Jose the Escovar is known by his mural paintings all across the Alentejo region. This is the first time that a panel painting made by this artist was studied. Analytical methods used included in situ technical photography (visible (Vis), raking light (RAK), infrared (IR), and ultraviolet (UV)), optical microscopy of cross sections, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), micro Raman spectroscopy, and micro Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (-FT-IR). The goal was to ascertain the techniques and colored materials used by Escovar on this painting so that the data can be used in future comparisons with others works attributed to this painter based on stylistic aspects. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 41, 252-257, 2016

This work comprises the use of a multi-analytical approach combined with microbiological studies to characterize six paper samples, containing foxing stains, from the 20th century, regarding their cellulose matrix, fillers, and sizing materials, and to evaluate possible paper degradation that might have occurred during the foxing stains. Photography under different illuminations and optical microscopy were used for morphological characterization of the paper samples and foxing stains. Scanning electron microscopy coupled energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was of particular importance for defining the presence of fiber disorder and disruption on the surface of some of the stains, and localized accumulations of mineral-like particles on the surface of others. SEM-EDS, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR), and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) were used for the identification of mineral fillers, whereas sizing agents were analyzed using ATR-FT-IR. EDXRF results showed that no differences, within the standard deviation, were found in iron and copper contents between the foxed and unfoxed areas. Fungi belonging to the genus Penicillium spp. were found in all the paper samples. Unfoxed areas presented lower contamination than the foxed areas.

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