Multi-technique diagnostic investigation and 3D imaging survey of the XVIII century Vergine Assunta wooden statue by Filippo Colicci (Novara di Sicilia, Italy)

In this work, a multi-technique diagnostic analysis integrating spectroscopic/spectrophotometric and 3D imaging methods was successfully applied for the characterization of a large eighteenth-century Vergine Assunta wooden statue by Filippo Colicci, located within the apse of the right aisle of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Novara di Sicilia, Italy. To this aim, an in situ , non-invasive survey, by applying X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, micro-Raman (μ-Raman) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance geometry (FTIR-ATR) and visible reflectance spectrometry (Vis-RS), was conducted to: (i) shed light on the nature of the raw materials and color palette used for the realization/decoration of the artwork; (ii) retrieve insights into execution technique; (iii) identify possible nondocumented interventions starting from the discrimination between original and modern constituents and (iv) evaluate potential degradation patterns associated to changes in microclimatic conditions and mechanical stress induced by liturgical handling and transportation. At the same time, a 3D LiDAR survey was implemented to assess damaged or weakened areas of the statue and to identify regions that may have undergone undocumented restoration handling. The achieved results represent useful and essential tools to address management issues of the artwork, providing valuable insights for planning and monitoring targeted and minimally invasive restoration strategies for its long-term safeguarding.