Mid-wave infrared imaging analysis of XVII century paintings on canvas of the Chigi Palace in Ariccia

In this work, mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imaging techniques are applied to the study of three XVII century paintings on canvas preserved at the Chigi Palace in Ariccia. In particular, an integrated approach based on the use of pulsed thermography (PT) and MWIR reflectography (MIRR) is proposed for the analysis of the “Primavera” by Filippo Lauri e Mario Nuzzi, the “Ritratto di Mario Nuzzi che dipinge un vaso di fiori” by Giovanni Maria Morandi and Mario Nuzzi and the “Ebbrezza di Noè” by Andrea Sacchi. It is shown how the combined use of these techniques enables to perform the depth-resolved characterization of the analysed paintings, revealing complementary information on both subsurface graphical features, such as pentimenti, and structural elements.