Ioana Maria Cortea

• PhD in Applied Physics
• Heritage Scientist at National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics - INOE 2000

Natural minerals and earths with coloring properties have been widely used as artistic pigments since prehistoric times. Despite being extensively studied, the complex chemistry of earth pigments is still unsatisfactory described with respect to their mineralogical and structural variability and origin. In this study, a large group of earth pigment...

Abstract The Peleș National Museum in Sinaia, Romania, includes within its collection of musical instruments a unique harpsichord of the Taskin workshop. The instrument is representative of the eighteenth century French harpsichords, finished in 1772 by Taskin Pascal, a master instrument-maker of his time. This paper presents the results of a compr...

With the rapid scientific and technological changes that occur every day, a new kind of necessity, real-time, rapid, and accurate detection methods, preferably also non- or minimally invasive and non-destructive, has emerged. One such method is laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF), applied in various fields of activity in recent decades, r...

A group of wall painting fragments discovered at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, an important Roman archeological site located in the former Roman province of Dacia (Romania), have been investigated with the aim of defining the material composition of their pictorial layers and exploring the pictorial technology used. In order to preserve the integrit...

The heritage science sector is facing a critical need for accessible and comprehensive data resources to facilitate research, preservation efforts, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The concept of FAIR data management involves embracing principles and practices that ensure that data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. This wor...

Poster presentation at IIC Lima Congress 2024

Poster presentation at inART2024

This work outlines the results obtained within the artMAP project on formulating an effective analytical protocol based on non- and micro-invasive mobile spectroscopic techniques for the detection, characterization, identification, and mapping of key molecular species present in low amounts in ancient wall painting fragments. Up to this date, chrom...

This work outlines the results obtained within the artMAP project on formulating an effective analytical protocol based on non- and micro-invasive mobile spectroscopic techniques for the characterization and mapping of pigments and binders in wall paintings. Traditional analytical techniques often require invasive sampling, putting artworks at ri...

As part of a detailed investigation project focused on the painting materials and technical features used in Wallachia during the 17th and 18th century, the imperial icon “Mother of God with Child” from the Orthodox Church of the “Annunciation” in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania, was investigated before the restoration intervention. A minimally invasive mu...

Web-based open-access spectral databases relevant to conservation are nowadays a real necessity for heritage scientists and other heritage-related professionals that work with spectroscopic techniques. Fast and easy access to reliable high-quality databases is amplified by the fact that portable analytical techniques are becoming increasingly more...

This work presents the results of a complementary diagnostic investigation carried out on a late wooden panel painting attributed to world-famous Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder. The aim of this study was to characterize the pigments, ground layers and painting technique used in Cranach’s painting Madonna and Child by means of an integr...

This is an original manuscript of an article published by CRC Press in Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks XIII on 3 November 2023 available online: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003386872-5

This is an original manuscript of an article published by CRC Press in Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks XIII on 3 November 2023 available online: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003386872-3

Despite the large number of unguentaria vessels generally discovered in Roman archeological sites, very little information is available concerning the nature and chemical composition of the products that were originally contained within these artifacts. In this study a combined non-destructive approach that included Fourier transform infrared (FTIR...

Stratigraphic studies are of utmost importance for the historical and artistic characterization of artwork as they can offer key insights on the working methods. However, characterization of the painting stratigraphy in works of art can be challenging due to the difficulty to physically separate the various thin paint layers (usually between 10-200...

Accurate identification and characterization of art and archaeological materials are of crucial importance as they can provide significant historical, artistic and technical insights on the objects under investigation. Due to the complexity of heritage samples a "one-size-fits-all" approach is often not feasible. In order to achieve a complete char...

A variety of artefacts found at archaeological sites, like ceramic matrices or plasters, can contain remains of organic substances that were utilized in the past. These organic residues may either be visibly present in amorphous form or can be trapped within the porous structure of the archaeological materials. Despite instrumental advances, organi...

Due to their aesthetic beauty, Roman wall paintings have been a source of fascination among scholars and the general public alike. Despite being extensively studied over time, Roman mural paintings continue to attract interest and stimulate new research. At the moment there is a large corpus of data on wall painting supports and pigments coming fro...

Despite a large number of available commercial spectral libraries, dedicated databases for the cultural heritage field are scarce or, as in the case of the freely available spectral databases on the web, the range of artists’ materials is limited. To address this need, within the frame of the postdoctoral project INFRA-ART, an open-access spectral...

Easily accessible characterization techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), or Raman spectroscopy, are at this moment the most commonly used analytical tools in heritage and conservation science. Materials identification in works of art is a fundamental step for understanding an object's history o...

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1471-1553) was one of the most important artist of the 16th century German art world, best known for his portraits of German royalty, biblical scenes and mythological subjects. In this paper results of an in situ technical study carried on two paintings on wood panel assigned to Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop are...

Within the frame of the postdoctoral project INFRA-ART, an integrated spectral library exclusively dedicated to artists' and cultural heritage materials has been developed. The INFRA-ART Spectral Database is an ongoing compilation of spectra that now contains over 1000 XRF, ATR-FTIR, and Raman spectra linked to over 500 reference materials. The dat...

Natural earths (iron and manganese oxides and hydroxides) are an important class of mineral pigments extensively used since prehistoric times due to their abundance, high coloring capacity and stability. Iron earth pigments are often identified in archeological sites, as well as within the color palette of numerous works of art, from antiquity up t...

Roman wall paintings, particularly wall painting supports and pigments coming from Rome and Pompeii, have been intensively studied over time. However, in the Roman provinces, especially such as the province of Dacia, mural decorations have been significantly less studied. To this date, there are only two scientific publications that investigate the...

This paper presents an integrated multi-analytical documentation of a bronze vessel discovered in a 2nd century Roman military fort from ancient Dacia. The process involved 3D digitization, X-ray and hyperspectral imaging, and molecular, elemental, and structural analysis using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, laser-indu...

In this study, several wall painting fragments discovered in the Roman baths from the archeological site Alburnus Maior (Roşia Montană, Romania) were analyzed with the aim to investigate the material composition of both plasters and pictorial layers. Dated from the beginning of the second century AD, these rare findings stand among the oldest examp...

Several wall-painting fragments discovered in the Roman Baths from the archeological site Alburnus Maior (Roşia Montană, Romania) were analyzed in this study with the aim to investigate the material composition of both plasters and pictorial layers. Dated from the beginning of the 2nd century AD, these rare findings stand among the oldest examples...

This report presents pilot research of archaeological pottery excavated in the Early-Neolithic settlement of Chavdar located in the Pirdop-Zlatitsa field, Bulgaria (first half of VI mill BC). The object of investigation is a red-slipped ceramic fragment decorated on both sides with white paint. A multi-analytical approach including optical microsco...

This paper presents the results of an in-depth diagnostic investigation carried out on four Transylvanian icons originally painted at the beginning of the 18th century and entirely repainted later, in 1911. The icons, originating from a wooden church in Alba County (Romania), were investigated by an array of non-invasive and micro-invasive techniqu...

This contribution presents a study on the efficiency of the laser removal of black permanent marker tags from a contemporary graffiti painting. The effect of two wavelengths – 1064 nm and 532 nm, on the marker inks and the graffiti paints, was investigated using optical microscopy and colorimetric measurements. Preliminary characterization of the m...

The article presents a multi-analytic investigation of a severely degraded Jewish ritual parchment coming from a private collection. The main aim of the study was to obtain key information on the parchment manufacturing technique and original materials used, information that could help understand the historical context of the object. To this aim, a...

This study focuses on the investigation of certain bronze adornment objects from the First Iron Age (the so-called middle Hallstatt period), dating to the ninth–eighth c. BC. These objects are part of a bronze and iron hoard (labeled Cx 116) discovered in the present Romanian territory, at Tărtăria–Podu Tărtăriei vest archaeological site, in Alba C...

This paper presents the first set of investigations on the mural paintings belonging to Drăguțești wooden church (1813-1814 A.D.) that has recently been included into the patrimony of Golești Museum, Argeș County. Conservation of a religious site of this type requires a deep analysis of materials in order to evaluate correctly the murals' state of...

Often associated with acts of vandalism, graffiti can also be identified with the so‐called street art movement. Moreover, in the historical context of visual arts from the 20th and 21st century, graffiti spray paints feature among the materials employed in the work of representative artists such as Lucio Fontana, Richard Hamilton, Yves Klein, or D...

In this study several non-invasive and minimally-invasive techniques were employed for the discovery of the original aspect of an old iconostasis belonging to a small wooden church in Vâlcea County (southern Romania). Preliminary examination of the iconostasis raised suspicions upon its actual age, the wooden carved decorations style pointing towar...

Although often associated with acts of vandalism, graffiti can also be identified with the so-called Street Art. Moreover, in the historical context of visual arts from the 20th and 21st centuries, graffiti spray paints feature among the materials employed in the work of representative artists such as Lucio Fontana, Richard Hamilton, Yves Klein, or...

This work presents the results of a complementary diagnostic investigation carried out on two paintings assigned to world-famous Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder. The paintings, Virgin and Child and The Beheading of St John the Baptist, part of the National Museum of Art of Romania collection, are representative biblical themes for Crana...

This paper deals with the development of a multidisciplinary study on the current state of conservation of the facade of the Arciprestal Church of Santa María de Morella (Castellón, Spain), a work of the Gothic period of great historical and artistic value. The aim of this diagnosis was to undertake the preventive conservation actions required and...

This article reports the first analytical study carried on some of the oldest surviving examples of Roman wall paintings, discovered so far on the Romanian territory. Dating back to the second century, these decorative polychrome wall painting fragments were found during an archaeological research carried at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, and represe...

A stone bead, part of a necklace found in a middle Hallstatt period—type of settlement—the Tărtăria site in Alba County, Romania, was investigated following a non-destructive approach, by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The highly heterogenous object, found together with numero...

Modern paint materials have been intensively studied in recent years, with a considerable number of this research being focused on the characterization of the components present within the paint formulation. Spectroscopic techniques offer a huge potential for solving most of the problems associated with these new generation artist's paints that can...

Four icons belonging to the altarpiece of an old wooden church in Alba county (Romania) were analyzed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), hyperspectral imaging and X-ray radiography. The icons dated to the beginning of the 18th century are prominent examp...

This paper presents an optimized approach for the characterization of complex painting layers and for the evaluation of previous interventions on artworks. Focusing on the capabilities of hyperspectral imaging, which combines spectral and imaging data, this specific approach reflects also the importance of complementary methods and techniques, whic...

This study presents some analytical aspects regarding the use of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) for the characterization and identification of aged oil and tempera paint. The investigation of these complex paint systems poses some problems due to the interfering signals of the original paint componen...

The paper presents a comparative investigation on two icons, dated approximately 17–18th and 19th century, respectively, which are representative for the Russian Lipovan cultural communities. A non-invasive protocol was employed aiming to gain a wider perspective on this type of icons, which had not been studied so far through analytical means. Ima...

This paper describes the use of a multi-analytical non-invasive approach carried on a Jewish ritual parchment. The manuscript, undated, belonging to a private collection, was found in a precarious state of conservation probably due to improper storage conditions. In order to evaluate the state of degradation, the surface and interior of the parchme...

The Peles National Museum in Sinaia, Romania, includes within its collection of musical instruments an original Taskin Pascal harpsichord dated 1772. The instrument is representative for the French harpsichords of the eighteenth century, having the keyboard in two registers, with floral paintings, gilded on the side, while the six panels of the woo...

This paper presents an ongoing work within a national project regarding the scientific investigation of one of the most important archaeological sites in Romania: Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. Although the project has many objectives, in this paper we will focus on the development work of a virtual archaeodrome for the archaeological park. In this r...

Traditional, historical varnishing techniques applied on ancient musical instruments have been increasingly studied within the last decades, a comprehensive physico-chemical characterization of these coatings being important not only for art historical analysis of artifacts but for proper restoration and conservation treatments as well. In this pap...

Physico-chemical stability of various polymeric materials dedicated to the art market is being discussed as an analytic response under induced artificial ageing. On the basis of an extensive kinetic analysis, a series of correlation could be draw on regard the causes and mechanism of degradation affecting these class of materials by the use of Atte...

In the present paper, an analytical characterization of mural painting samples coming from a 14th century Romanian Monastery has been carried. Investigations were performed through non-destructive spectroscopic techniques: X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) using a handheld energy-dispersive XRF analyzer and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) in...

The primary value of a heritage object is given by its temporal dimension: an object that was created centuries ago is the bridge to a cultural and social context that would otherwise be inaccessible. The age factor of an heritage object has two possible outcomes: it can amplify the cultural value of an object until it may become of inestimable val...

Beyond the extreme increase of art materials offered on the market, contemporary artists continue to push the limits of art creation, the concept and artistic intention overcoming traditional media and techniques in a process that can be seen as a quest towards new forms of artistic expression. In this context, modeling materials as those used in i...

The current paper presents the results obtained during the first application of an original platform that grants real-time access to a variety of users to in situ studies and campaigns, opening an online door-way for national and international cooperation. The techniques selected for the investigation and cleaning of the monument - target of the st...

Despite recent and significant advances regarding the conservation of materials used in modern and contemporary art, there's still a severe lack of information in terms of understanding their chemistry and condition, and how they might alter or deteriorate with age, with different treatments, in storage, exhibit or display. In the present paper, fi...

The present report is related to a running project on contemporary visual art conservation and is considering various case studies, involving different techniques. On one hand the research investigates by means of advanced optoelectronical methods a series of modern artworks, while on another approach is testing today's art materials stability by u...