Potentials and limitations of provenance attribution through material analyses: new insights on the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

Teresa Lamers; Franz Kirchweger; Helene Hanzer; Martina Griesser; Katharina Uhlir; Lutz Nasdala; H. Albert Gilg; Stefanos Karampelas; Stefan Röhrs

doi:10.14568/cp39270

Authors

Teresa Lamers Kunsthistorisches Museum, Burgring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Franz Kirchweger Kunsthistorisches Museum, Burgring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3107-0285
Helene Hanzer Kunsthistorisches Museum, Burgring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Martina Griesser Kunsthistorisches Museum, Burgring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8395-1917
Katharina Uhlir Kunsthistorisches Museum, Burgring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3328-0427
Lutz Nasdala Institut für Mineralogie und Kristallographie, Universität Wien, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
H. Albert Gilg TUM School of Engineering and Design, Technische Universität München, Arcisstr. 21, 80333 Munich, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4304-9763
Stefanos Karampelas School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie, 30, rue de la Victoire, 75009 Paris, France https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0422-0444
Stefan Röhrs Rathgen-Forschungslabor, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesit, Schloßstraße 1a, 14059 Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8713-3572

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14568/cp39270

Keywords:

Imperial Crown, Medieval, Gemstones, Enamel, Material analyses, Provenance

Abstract

This study discusses the potentials and limitations of non-destructive material analysis by providing insights into the current state of research on the composition and specific characteristics of the materials used for the Imperial Crown, including gold, gemstones, pearls, niello and enamel. The cloisonné enamel plaques are of particular interest, given that glass is a complex mixture of different raw materials. The following complementary non-invasive methods were applied: digital microscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis, Raman, optical absorption and reflection spectroscopy and multiband imaging. Determining the materiality proved to be a complex task, due to a number of restrictions. These included the limited range of suitable methods, a lack of knowledge regarding specific materials and established manufacturing traditions, such as recycling, or the presence of overlapping characteristics among materials of different origins. Although the origin of the crown itself cannot yet be determined, the analytical results provide a reliable basis for further research.

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