Characterization of Zahari Zograph’s nave wall paintings in the church “The nativity of the virgin” of Rila Monastery (Bulgaria) by vibrational spectroscopy and SEM–EDX analysis

A groundbreaking analysis of Zahari Zograph’s nave wall paintings in the church 'The Nativity of the Virgin' at Rila Monastery, Bulgaria, reveals the use of azurite—a pigment not previously identified in other murals from this site. This discovery is significant as it uniquely links these paintings to Zograph's artistic style. Researchers employed vibrational spectroscopy and SEM–EDX analysis to identify pigments such as smalt (blue background), green earths (green color), and red lead (red-orange color). Additionally, the study characterized the gilding mordant using drying oil, resin, and siccative metal oxides, providing insights into the materials and techniques employed by Zograph during the 19th century.

Yancheva, D., Tapanov, S., Velcheva, E., Stamboliyska, B., Glavcheva, Z., Stoyanov, S., Haralampiev, N., Fischer, D., & Lederer, A. (2017). Characterization of Zahari Zograph’s nave wall paintings in the church “The nativity of the virgin” of Rila Monastery (Bulgaria) by vibrational spectroscopy and SEM–EDX analysis. STAR: Science & Technology of Archaeological Research, 3(2), 437–449. https://doi.org/10.1080/20548923.2018.1426274