FORS, FTIR, SEM-EDS and microscopy data from the project "Moving of the alter painting in Kiruna church", project identifier RAÄ-2023-2199

Before the move of Kiruna Church (http://kulturarvsdata.se/raa/bbr/21300000003898Opens in a new tab), preparations needed be made to protect an altar painting ('Soltavlan'  eller 'Den heliga lunden' by Prince Eugen: http://kulturarvsdata.se/raa/dokumentation/7172d859-fe59-4e4b-b70f-e23c20158c5cOpens in a new tab ) inside the church from potential damage. In order to identify risks and facilitate decision-making, an understanding of the painting's material composition is needed. The painting is composed of oil paint on canvas and the canvas is in turn glued to plaster that has an approximate depth of 2 cm. Behind the painting is the brick wall that makes up the church's eastern brick facade. During the investigation at the  Heritage Laboratory at the Swedish National Heritage Board, analyses were carried out on the glue that attaches the canvas to the plaster, the plaster and the pigment. The overall aim of the project was to create conditions for preserving the altar painting with as much respect as possible. During the analysis, it was found that the glue used to glue the canvas to the plaster contained lead white in an oil-based binder. A green pigment that was inspected appeared to contain a mixture of cadmium yellow, viridian or chrome green and potentially zinc white. The mortar is made from a calcium-based binder containing stone inclusions of silicon, aluminum, potassium, sodium and iron. Data from the following analytical techniques is included: 1. Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS); 2. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); 3. visible and UV light optical microscopy; 4. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS).  Reports containing measurement parameters and sample information are also included. Project code RAÄ-2023-2199.