Pictorial materials used in the polychrome decorations of the façade of the palace of King Pedro I (The Royal Alcazar of Seville, Spain)

Abstract

This research has been conducted on the architectural decoration of the façade of the Palace of King Pedro I (The Royal Alcazar of Seville, Spain). The stratigraphic study of pictorial layers has revealed numerous interventions made on the polychrome decorations that have been related to those referenced in historical documents. Mineralogical and compositional studies of the natural and synthetic pigments and their alteration have provided an independent chronology for the polychrome decorations. Finally, this study has revealed the importance of colour of the decorative elements over the history of the palace.