Elena Tesser

Università Iuav di Venezia | IUAV · Department of Architecture, Construction and Conservation

This paper presents the results of an archaeometric study of the stone materials from two Pompeian mosaics in the “Domus di Orione” (House of Orion). The study concerns the stone tesserae of the two famous emblemata featuring the story of the Greek hero, found in a house excavated from 2018 to 2020. Initial visual examination of the polychrome ston...

Archival resources, a photogrammetric survey, analysis of materials and techniques, and evaluation of the state of conservation were interconnected phases in the interdisciplinary research on the perspective scenery of the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. To fill existing gaps related to the history of this unique artefact and to the undocumented retouc...

Cultural heritage assets face significant threats from climate change and land subsidence, leading to extensive social, economic, and environmental losses, and damage to artistic and monumental heritage in Italian coastal cities. In particular, addressing these challenges in the Venetian context necessitates the development of an adaptation plan fo...

Abstract The HYPERION EU project aims to develop a Decision Support System to improve resilience and sustainable reconstruction of historic areas faced with climate change and extreme events. In this context, Venice presents an outstanding example of urban and architectural complexity and richness. The mapping of the ornamental stones of the façade...

In the frame of HYPERION EU project, aimed to develop a Decision Support System to improve resilience and sustainable reconstruction of historic areas against climate change and extreme events, Venice stands for its urban and architectonic complexity and richness. In this system, the mapping of the ornamental stones and their deterioration morpholo...

Barium hydroxide was one of the most widely used inorganic materials to consolidate calcareous stones during the 19th and 20th. The consolidation process occurs through a carbonation reaction. Several researchers studied the consolidation mechanism; however, the results are sometimes in conflict. More experimental work using modern analytical techn...

The application of silica nanoparticles strengthening agents in conservation of monumental and architectural heritage field is currently a challenge of particular interest. Some commercial products are already on the market and several studies highlighted the related strength and weakness. In order to contribute to the knowledge of the interaction...

Two very important red figured vases by the Painter of Louvre K 240 – the Acrobat krater preserved in the L. Bernabò-Brea Regional Archaeological Museum of Lipari (Sicily), and the Fleischman krater of the J. Paul Getty Villa (Malibu, Los Angeles) – were submitted to stylistic and archaeometric examination, the latter by powder-XRD, OM on thin sect...

Nanosilica-based consolidants are promising nano- structured strengthening agents mainly used for consolidation of mortars and cements. Due to their specific physical-chemical characteristics and sizes, theoretically, silica nanoparticles (SNP) improve the penetration depth of the product, promote water repellency of the treated surfaces and increa...

Nanosilica-based consolidants are promising nanostructured strengthening agents mainly used for consolidation of mortar and cements. Their use shows some positive aspects that encourage their application in stone consolidation field. Several preliminary studies underline that the nanosilica particles increase the reactivity and the penetration dept...

The materials uncovered in excavations in several provinces of the Roman empire provide important evidence to the frequent use of glass in most precious opera sectilia. Glass pieces imitating a dozen of ancient marbles and exotic stones have been identified in the collection belonged to Evangelista Gorga, samples of which were selected for analysis...

The S. Nicolò l'Arena Exedra in Catania was built up in 1722 in front of the homonymous Monastery. The façade is composed by natural and artificial stones: Syracuse stone for portals and windows frames, lava stone for the basement and a reddish plaster for plane surfaces, typical materials of the Catania historic buildings. Its color is due to the...

The Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina (Sicily) is world famous for its beautiful and extensive mosaic floors dating to the fourth-century A.D. Before a recent restoration of the Villa, it was possible to take a representative sampling of coloured glass and stone tesserae from the baths’ floors that were examined by chemical and minero-petrographi...

The original version of this article, unfortunately, contained error. Modifications have been made to the Introduction, Results and discussion, Conclusions and figure caption. The original article has been corrected.

This paper deals with the characterization of black crusts collected from several historical buildings in the city of Venice. This city suffers from pollution from the industrial area of Marghera, as well as from the maritime traffic. Black crust can be considered as a passive sampler of pollutants, with particular reference to heavy metals. For th...

The commercial consolidating siloxane compounds EAS 40, Rhodorsil Consolidante RC90 and RC80, and the silicone water repellent agents Rhodorsil H224 and Hydrophase were carefully applied to stone specimens and tested to ascertain their chemical nature and their stability under oxidative stress and degradative environments. The resins were applied t...

The commercial cycloaliphatic epoxy resin EP2101, frequently used as a structural stone strengthening agent in monuments, was tested to ascertain the related chemical nature, the mechanisms involved in the polymerization reaction and the stability under degradative environments. After a preliminary chemical characterization in the laboratory by mea...

A study of the deterioration micromorphologies and a chemical investigation of the alteration products of an experimental polysiloxane resin used for consolidating marble sculptures in Venice was undertaken several decades after the initial treatments. A multianalytical study was carried out on a number of microfragments sampled from four Venetian...

The paper presents the results of a multianalytical study carried out through laboratory investigations on building materials of “Punta Troia Castle” in Marettimo Island (Sicily). The main aims of the work were to characterize the petrographic nature and to determine the geological provenance of the stone materials used to build the castle as well...

The Scuola Grande di San Marco is one of the most outstanding Renaissance buildings in Venice. Destroyed by fire in 1485, the Scuola was reconstructed between 1487 and 1495 by Pietro Lombardi (and sons), together with Giovanni Buora and Mauro Codussi. The façade is considered one of the finest and most original exteriors of Venetian buildings and i...

Synthetic polymers and inorganic products have been widely used since the second half of the past century for the consolidation and the protection of stone of Venetian monuments. In general, their application slowed down the decay although, over time, different types of decay were observed. These include chemical alterations of the treatment materi...

Synthetic polymers and inorganic products were widely used, from the ‘60s of the past century, for the protection and the consolidation of stone surfaces of Venetian monuments. In general, the application slowed down the decay, although over time, different types of deterioration may be observed. They include chemical alterations of the treatment m...

The aim of this experimental work was determine the characteristic features of Venetian Gothic bricks, in order to create an initial database for the city of Venice, and improve our knowledge of this class of materials, for the conservation of the walls of Gothic buildings and the dating of architectural surfaces. The study was extended to brick...