ΠΡΑΚΤΙΚΑ 4ου ΠΑΝΕΛΛΗΝΙΟΥ ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟΥ ΨΗΦΙΟΠΟΙΗΣΗΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΙΑΣ –EUROMED 2021

4 ο Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Ψηφιοποίησης Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς
EUROMED 2021, 30/9 - 3/10/2021
Pigment identification of Nikolaos Gyzis wall painting “Four Seasons’’ by pXRF
and pRaman spectroscopies
Eirini Christopoulou
Department of Industrial Design and Production Engineering, University of West Attica, Egaleo, Athens,
Greece
Theodoros Ganetsos
Department of Industrial Design and Production Engineering, University of West Attica, Egaleo, Athens,
Greece
Nikolaos Laskaris
Department of Industrial Design and Production Engineering, University of West Attica, Egaleo, Athens,
Greece
ABSTRACT
In 1862, the Tinian painter Nikolaos Gyzis, with the recommendation of his friend and also a great artist
Nikiforos Lytras, met the rich art lover Nikolaos Nazos, who hosted the two painters in his guest house in the
Palataki Tower in the Haidari estate. Some years later, N. Nazos will help him get a scholarship to study in
Munich and later he will become his father-in-law. In the first years of their acquaintance, he paints portraits
of the members of Nazos family while he is assigned to paint the interior walls of the dining room of the hostel
on the N. Nazos estate. On each wall of the room, N. Gyzis depicted the theme of the four seasons personified
in the form of young girls framed by beautiful landscapes (Misirli, 1990).
This study is focused on the wall painting of Nikolaos Gyzis ‘’Four Seasons’’ (mid 19th c), situated in the
building ‘’Nikolaos Gyzis’’, at Palataki, Haidari, Athens. Non-destructive analyses with pXRF and pRaman
were carried out in order to identify the pigments used by the artist and therefore to reconstruct his color
pallet. Results are of high importance for the ascertainment of the color pallet and pigment variety used by the
painters in mid 19 th century.
Keywords: XRF spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Nikolaos Gyzis, Palataki Tower, Greek Art of 19 th
century
1. INTRODUCTION
Nikolaos Gyzis was born in Sklavochorion, Tinos in March 1842. His father was a wood carver. There are
many of his descendants, mainly in Santorini (Pavlopoulos, 2007). In 1850 he moved with his father to Athens
and he enrolled him in the Polytechnic School, as from the age of 5 he showed early signs of his talent (Giofylis,
2003). Since 1854 he was studying at the Polytechnic School with professors Filippos Margaritis and Ludwig
Thiersch (Misirli, 1990). He was an excellent student in all his department classes of the Polytechnic School
(Michailidis, 1901). When he finished his studies in 1857 he could not afford to go abroad in order to continue
his studies that he deeply wanted (Giofyllis, 2003). That period, the artistic profession is considered a
profession without special financial benefits. He also studies engraving. He is distinguished from the beginning
190