Donato Acciaiuoli, Charlemagne’s Life

Modelling of draperies

Artists' Techniques

Francesco di Antonio del Chierico subtly modelled the cherubs’ light blue robes with thin purple outlines which define the folds, supplemented by a brown wash in the shadows. By contrast, his associate applied purple shadows and white highlights over the azurite blue base of the robes in a much more schematic manner.

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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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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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