Program Overview

Course Overview

The course "Chemistry for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage" (code 61903) is worth 4 credits and takes place in the second semester of the Degree Course in Chemical Sciences. The lessons are held in Italian, with the possibility of discussion in English if requested by the students.

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The course provides students of chemical disciplines with the indispensable scientific methodologies for the study of historical, artistic, and archaeological heritage, sensitizing them to the needs of conservation and respect for the artworks dealt with in the program.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

The main objective of the course is to provide students with the scientific methodologies necessary for the study of cultural heritage. By the end of the course, students will have developed knowledge of heritage materials, applied and elaborated concepts previously acquired in chemistry, and acquired the relation between chemistry, diagnostic, and restoration for the investigation, valorization, and conservation of cultural heritage.

Prerequisites

There are no specific requirements for this course.

Teaching Methods

The course consists of 32 hours of traditional lectures, using PowerPoint presentations (made available to students on AulaWeb) and a blackboard or other writing support.

Syllabus/Content

The course covers the following topics:

• Introduction to the different supports and materials: mural, paper, canvas, wood, metals, stone, glass
• The main inorganic pigments, including historical introduction, production/supply method, uses, and degradation
• The main organic dyes, including historical introduction, production/supply method, uses, and degradation
• Binders: siccative oils and glues
• Modern and contemporary art materials (introduction)
• Investigation techniques, including sampling and separation techniques, non-destructive techniques, and destructive techniques
• Restoration and conservation, including introduction to restoration and materials for conservation and restoration

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

• Autori Vari, Conservation Science for the Cultural Heritage – Applications for Instrumental Analysis, Editor: E.A.Varella, Springer 2013
• Autori Vari, Chimica per l'Arte, Zanichelli 2007
• Matteini, Moles, La Chimica nel Restauro, Nardini Editore
• V. Horie, Materials for Conservation, Routledge Ed, 2° Edition, 2010
• Mills-White, The Organic Chemistry of Museum Objects, 2° Ed., Routledge, 1994
• N. Bevilacqua, L. Borgioli, I. Androver Garcia, I pigmenti nell'arte dalla preistoria alla rivoluzione industriale, Il Prato 2010
• A. Casoli, M.E. Darecchio, L. Sarritzu, I coloranti nell'arte, Il Prato 2009

Teachers and Exam Board

The teacher for this course is Federico Locardi. The exam board consists of:

• Federico Locardi (President)
• Maurizio Ferretti
• Stefano Alberti (President Substitute)

Lessons

The timetable for this course is available on the Portale EasyAcademy.

Exams

Exam Description

The exam consists of an oral examination lasting at least 30 minutes, aiming to verify the comprehension of the topics treated during the course.

Assessment Methods

The assessment consists of an interview ("oral" exam) during which the student will be asked to solve a real case study inherent to the program carried out by the teacher. The achievement of the educational objectives of the course is verified through:

• The candidate's acquisition of the notions fundamental for a correct knowledge of the topics included in the program
• The candidate's ability to move rationally in the field, including the use of appropriate links between different topics
• The candidate's ability to properly use previously acquired notions and preliminary knowledge in the understanding and discussion of various topics of the matter

Exam Schedule

The exam schedule is as follows:

• 30/01/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 18/02/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 10/06/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 25/06/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 09/07/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 03/09/2026, 09:00, GENOVA
• 17/09/2026, 09:00, GENOVA

Further Information

Students with valid certification of physical or learning disabilities should speak with the instructor and Professor Sergio Di Domizio, the Department's disability liaison, to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework, and exams.