https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06996-5
Regular Article
Colourants of Italian maiolica: Vis–NIR hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy on Montelupo Fiorentino artefacts (fourteenth–eighteenth century CE)
1
Earth Sciences Department, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via La Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy
2
Archéosciences Bordeaux, UMR 6034 CNRS, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Maison de l’Archéologie, Domaine Universitaire, Esplanade des Antilles, 33607, Pessac Cedex, France
3
Department of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Marina District, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
4
Centro di Microscopia Elettronica e Microanalisi, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Gino Capponi 3, 50121, Florence, Italy
5
CNR-IGG, Florence, Italy
a
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Received:
11
June
2025
Accepted:
24
October
2025
Published online:
8
November
2025
Abstract
In this study, maiolica, i.e. tin-glazed earthenware, from Montelupo Fiorentino (Florence, Italy), dating from the late fourteenth to the eighteenth century CE, was analysed by visible and near-infrared (Vis–NIR) hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy (HSI), using two imaging devices working in the same spectral range but having different technical characteristics. A set of 50 sherds, whose glazes and colours had been thoroughly characterised by other analytical techniques both in this study and in previous ones, were analysed. Both portable and ultraportable HSI cameras were successfully used to create a reference dataset of Montelupo maiolica decoration, also discussing the advantages of the technique in acquiring large areas of highly refractive and three-dimensional glazed ceramic artefacts, giving an important contribution to research on the topic field and providing a valuable data source for comparative study. It constitutes a reference for applying HSI in the characterisation of art-historical and archaeological heritage, directly in the museum environment, thanks to the use of non-invasive instruments.
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06996-5.
© The Author(s) 2025
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