Execution technique and material characteristics of ceiling and wall paintings of an Ottoman period mansion in İzmir

Abstract

Determination of the authentic execution technique and material characteristics of wall paintings, which are the most vulnerable components of cultural assets, is one of the basic stages for their conservation. In this study, execution technique and material characteristics of wall and ceiling paintings of Yahya Hayati Paşa Konak in İzmir, Bayraklı were determined on the samples taken from the building before the devastating fire that heavily damaged the building in 2010. Microstructural characteristics, mineralogical and chemical compositions of plasters, priming layers, binding material and pigments that were used in wall paintings have been determined by using optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM equipped with EDS). The study revealed that the paintings of Yahya Hayati Paşa Mansion were made using oil painting technique on preparatory layers composed of organic binder and various white pigments which were applied on lime plaster. ZnO and lead white and barium white were used for bleaching the drying oil. Pigments used in the paintings were determined as vermillion (HgS) for red, ultramarine (Na6-10Al6Si6O24S2-4) for blue, emerald green (3Cu(AsO2)2.Cu(CH3COO)2) for green and red ochre (Fe2O3+Clay minerals) for reddish brown. Beside these main pigments the use of barium white (BaSO4) as an extender in green paints and anglesite (PbSO4) as an alteration product of red lead (Pb3O4) in red paints were determined. This study will provide data for the restoration work of an almost disappearing cultural asset by documenting the authentic execution technique and material characteristics of the ornaments.