Multi-Scale Investigation of Body-Glaze Interface in Ancient Ceramics
Marie Godet,
Gauthier Roisine,
Emmie Beauvoit,
Daniel Caurant,
Odile Majérus,
Nicolas Menguy,
Olivier Dargaud,
Anne Bouquillon,
Laurent Cormier
Affiliations
Marie Godet
Institut de Minéralogie de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7590, MNHN, IRD UMR 206, 75005 Paris, France
Gauthier Roisine
Chimie ParisTech, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP), PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
Emmie Beauvoit
Chimie ParisTech, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP), PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
Daniel Caurant
Chimie ParisTech, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP), PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
Odile Majérus
Chimie ParisTech, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP), PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
Nicolas Menguy
Institut de Minéralogie de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7590, MNHN, IRD UMR 206, 75005 Paris, France
Olivier Dargaud
Cité de la Céramique—Sèvres et Limoges, 2 Place de la Manufacture, 92310 Sèvres, France
Anne Bouquillon
Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF), CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP), PSL Research University, 75001 Paris, France
Laurent Cormier
Institut de Minéralogie de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7590, MNHN, IRD UMR 206, 75005 Paris, France
Bernard Palissy is a French Renaissance ceramist renowned for his masterpieces called Rustiques Figulines on which dozens of glazes of different chemistries (and thus firing behaviors) coexist harmoniously. This study aims at gathering information on the master procedure -never revealed- by investigating the body-glaze interface region (focusing on iron-colored honey transparent glaze-white body system). Optical and electron microscopies including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterize the micro and nanostructure of both archaeological and replicas interfaces elaborated in controlled conditions (firing time, cooling rate, addition of Al in the glazing mixture). Both types of interfaces are comparable: a modified paste area from which are growing a relatively continuous layer of interfacial crystals identified as lead feldspars (K,Ca)PbAl2Si2O8 micro-sized single-crystals incorporating mullite 3Al2O3.2SiO2 nano-sized single-crystals. Modification of the firing parameters and removal of Al from the glazing mixture change essentially the interface extension and the micro-crystals morphology. By comparing archaeological and replica interfaces and considering previous studies, we can now state that Palissy was very likely adding clay (Al) in his frit. Moreover, he was probably working with a firing time of more than 1 h followed by slow cooling in the oven.
