Svetlana Gasanova

The Cyprus Institute, Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC), Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs), Associate Research Scientist

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Svetlana Gasanova studied chemistry at Saint-Petersburg State University. In her diploma, she was developing a very sensitive analytical technique, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), capable of detecting organic molecules at sub-picomolar concentrations. She continued her research career at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where she carried out her PhD studies. The thesis was aimed at the development of a novel chemical-free method of water treatment. Svetlana joint the STARC team of The Cyprus Institute in 2014 as a post-doc. Since then, she has been leading the scientific analysis of a wide variety of archaeological and art materials including polychromed statues, medieval icons and manuscripts, oil paintings, wall paintings and terracotta objects. Her field of expertise is non-invasive analysis of pigment materials by spectroscopic methods (XRF, FTIR, FORS), advanced imaging techniques (IRR, XRR, multispectral imaging) and digital microscopy. Currently, Svetlana is Associate Research Scientist responsible for chemical analysis at Andreas Pittas Art Characterization laboratories.
Phone: +357 22 397 505
Address: 20 Konstantinou Kavafi str, 2121 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus

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Philipp Wolfgang Stockhammer

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Miljana Radivojević

University College London

Viktória Kiss

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Gary Feinman

Field Museum

Thilo Rehren

The Cyprus Institute

Stephen W Merkel

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Marcia Rizzutto

Universidade de São Paulo

Marcelo Sánchez

Texas A&M University

Chloé Arson

Georgia Institute of Technology

Mauricio Sarrazin

Universidad de Chile

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Revealing the unseen: advanced digital imaging and spectroscopy for the documentation and non-invasive analysis of a 16th-century Cypriot composite icon

Heritage science, May 27, 2024

The present study focuses on an icon known as the Panagia Valieriotissa at the Church of Saint Ni... more The present study focuses on an icon known as the Panagia Valieriotissa at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Palodeia, Cyprus. The icon is unusual as it contains two depictions of the Virgin Mary and Child. The main aim of this study is to analyze the material characteristics of the icon and the relation of the two panels in order to determine if the icon belongs to a distinct category of paintings known as "composite icons"-icons consisting of two separate panels, one inserted into another. Icons of this unusual type, first described by Panayotis Vocotopoulos, appear to be quite numerous on Cyprus and date mostly to the sixteenth century. Results show that the icon can be included within this group, consequently enriching our knowledge on the materials, technologies, and techniques used in the creation of composite icons. Driven by art historical inquiries, the study's methodological approach was based on the integration of digital imaging techniques with non-invasive and non-destructive material analyses pursued by the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) of the Cyprus Institute. Spectroscopic techniques, digital microscopy and advanced digital imaging methods produced a broad range of data which were analyzed and interpreted from both an art-historical and a conservation perspective towards a better understanding of the materiality of the Palodeia icon and its subsequent history and use. The imaging and spectroscopic methods used provided new information on the materials and techniques used by the painters as well as on later undocumented episodes of restoration or repainting. Overall, the results showed that the icon indeed consists of two separate icons-a larger panel and a smaller, re-used icon inserted into the former. Moreover, some important distinctive features of the inset icon, invisible to the naked eye, reveal its possible previous use and dating. The study brought to light the great potential of non-invasive methods in the revealing and analysis of unknown aspects of composite icons, thus shedding light on this fascinating phenomenon, but it can also interest a broader group of researchers into the exciting new possibilities as well as the limitations of non-invasive methods for the study of works of art and heritage objects.

Svetlana Gasanova

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