Research Summary

The illuminated manuscript is one of the most beautiful and original expressions of the Western World. Its conservation is therefore a challenge, but also an opportunity to develop new and innovative diagnostic methodologies. It encompasses the study of three typologies of the Portuguese Middle Ages: the bibles Alc. 427-431 and Alc. 396-399 (12th c.), and the Ajuda Songbook (13th-14th c.), which will allow a complete study of the materials and techniques, in order to understand the when and where these manuscripts were produced. Finally, the study of the Book of Hours ascribed to Queen Eleanor of Portugal (IL-165), will focus on the conservation of silver, colour profusely applied in this manuscript. This selection will allow the construction of the molecular palette. Finally, with the creation of a database of medieval colorants and its search algorithm, this project will optimize microspectrofluorimetry as a technique for the characterization of historical materials of organic origin in situ in medieval manuscripts.

PhD Title:A Iluminura Medieval, o Códice e a sua Conservação: Desafios às Ciências Moleculares, Humanidades e Sociedade (provisório)
Supervisors: Maria João Melo (DCR FCT-UNL / Requimte)