Donato Acciaiuoli, Charlemagne’s Life

Differences between fols. 2r and 6r

Artists' Materials

The differences between fols. 2r and 6r support the stylistic attribution to different artists.

The visual differences between the cherubs (putti) painted on both pages, such as the colour of their robes and of the clouds under their feet, correspond to a different choice of materials. The clouds are painted with shell gold on fol. 2r, while red lead is used on fol. 6r. In both cases, they are highlighted with lead-tin yellow. The cherubs’ blue robes contain ultramarine on fol. 2r, while azurite shaded with a red dye is present on fol. 6r.

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1
Detail of a cockerel in the left border under magnification (7.5x).
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2
Detail of a deer in the lower border under magnification (7.5x).
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3
Detail of a butterfly in the right border under magnification (7.5x).
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4
Detail of the orange cloud below the cherub’s foot under magnification (60x), with yellow highlights also visible. The FORS spectrum of the cloud (below) shows the characteristic transition edge of red lead at 560 nm, alongside features due to the azurite blue sky below and nearby.
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5
Detail of the cherub’s blue robe under magnification (20x), showing a light blue layer with white highlights and a translucent purple wash in the shadows. The FORS spectrum of the robe (below) shows the characteristic absorption bands of azurite at c. 1495, 2284 and 2352 nm.

Opening page of Charlemagne’s Life

Donato Acciaiuoli’s Vita Caroli Magni opens with a title and an initial C executed in gold leaf. The initial is enveloped in white vine scroll on blue, pink and green background, which also forms the full border, inhabited by cherubs (putti), birds and deer (hotspots 1-3). The border also includes a medallion with plants and the royal arms of France supported by putti. The latter show subtle visual and material differences with the putti painted in the same position on fol. 2r (hotspots 4 and 5), supporting the attribution of the decoration to two different artists.

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