Obiettivo formativo.

The aim of this course is to show to the students the crucial role that science and engineering can play on the broad and very complex world of Cultural Heritage conservation. A wide range of artefacts will be covered including architectural and historic-artistic patrimony, paintings and mural painting, bronzes and metal artefacts, contemporary art and design objects.

Contenuti dell’insegnamento

The course will introduce the world of Cultural Heritage, the Musuem Institutions, and the general problem of preservation of the artistic patrimony with continuous challanges like air pollution, climate changes, wrong restoration practice, war and destructions. The lessons will be devoted to understand how Science (chemistry, physics and materials engineering) could help in the knowledge and preservation of artworks. The course presents the main characteristics and deterioration phenomena of the materials that constitute the different types of artefacts such as: architecture and historical buildings; polychrome artefacts like paintings and mural paintings; stone and metal sculptures; objects and artefacts of modern and contemporary art. An overview of the diagnostic methodologies used for the assessment of the state of conservation will be given. The use of Nanotechnologies for the conservation of different type of artworks, will be discussed with a particular reference to the application of nano-consolidant and nano-protective treatments.

The main topics of the course are:

• Introduction to art conservation and collections
• Pollution and Cultural Heritage
• Knowledge and conservation of materials of historical architecture
• Knowledge and conservation of mural paintings
• Characterization, conservation and monitoring of metallic artefacts
• Polymeric materials used  in  art
• Nanotechnologies for the conservation of Cultural Heritage

Case studies about the conservation and monitoring of important and renowned artefacts will be presented and analysed in details, with particular attention to the diagnostic aspects and the materials and methods used in the restoration work.

The course includes some visit to monuments, building and churches; Museums or private Institutions and restoration Laboratories for the conservation of works of art.

The exam can be either a written multiple-choice questions Test , or an oral presentation and discussion of a case study selected by the student among those published in recent scientific literature.