Rita Araújo


araujo.ritaa@gmail.com

Research Summary

The goal of Rita Araújo’s project is to study the book of hours, as a three-dimensional structure, exploring the relationship between the different parts (the text block and the binding) and studying their consequences for the whole conservation condition of the book. Firstly, a survey of the books of hours of the 15th century present in national institutions will be carried out. The doctorate will set up an interdisciplinary approach involving research on the origin, dating, artistic history, technological characteristics’ definition and the general conservation condition. Then, a representative set of books of hours will be selected for an in-depth research of the materials, using examination and analysis techniques. It will also be conducted an exhaustive conservation condition study to help growing the current sparse knowledge about this type of artworks. The study of the conservation condition of pigments and silver applied on the illumination of these books will be a critical point in this research, due to its sensitivity to degradation processes related with use and bookbinding condition, as well as in order to develop preventive and curative measures and treatments.

PhD Project Title: The Books of Hours from the 15th century in the Portuguese collections: matter, form and meaning.

Supervisors: Conceição Casanova, (IICT / DCR FCT-UNL); Maria João Melo, (DCR FCT-UNL / Requimte); Ana Lemos, (IEM FCSH-UNL) 



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