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A Ceramic Plaque Representing a Part of the Moses Panel by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the East Baptistery Doors (Florence, Italy)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Pamela B. Vandiver
Pamela B. Vandiver*
Affiliation:
vandiver@mse.arizona.edu, University of Arizona, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering,, Program in Heritage Conservation Science, and Department of Anthropology, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States, 520-400-2270, 520-621-8059
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Abstract

A ceramic plaque was studied that depicts the figurative part of the lower half of the Moses Panel from the gilt bronze doors that Lorenzo Ghiberti and his workshop installed on the east side of the San Giovanni Baptistery in Florence, Italy. The doors were completed in 1452, and thermoluminescence dating of two areas of the ceramic relief panel gave a broad, but consistent fifteenth century date. No differences were found in the composition, microstructure or phase assemblage of the two stylistically distinct parts of the ceramic panel. Microscopy and radiography were used to reconstruct the forming methods and sequence of steps in manufacture and restoration.

Keywords

ceramicartscanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1047: Symposium Y – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology VIII , 2007 , 1047-Y06-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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