ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine and document the wall paintings in the Château de Germolles. Situated in Burgundy, France, Germolles is the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy and was listed as a monument of national importance in 1989.

The medieval wall decoration of the Château de Germolles was rediscovered under the nineteenth-century plasters during World War II. Medieval accounts of the château provide a detailed list of the materials acquired to make the mural decoration, but this list is incongruous when compared with the current appearance of the paintings. The discrepancy between the archival and material evidence, and also the need to understand the complexity of the painting technique used were the main motivations for undertaking the case study described in this chapter. Imaging alongside more traditional examination techniques were utilized to record and document the mural decoration. The objectives of the case study were to distinguish the original materials from those applied during restoration, identify those materials, and correlate them with the archives. We also tried to understand the medieval painting techniques used and assess the condition of the paintings and stabilization requirements. Finally we aimed to find a sustainable solution for the management of the various types of data collected. Various techniques and investigations offered valuable insights into the materials and the painting technique used. To improve visitor experience, based on the information gained in the course of this study, a 3D virtual representation of the original decoration is currently proposed for display to the public visiting the Château de Germolles.

Keywords: Château de Germolles, dukes of Burgundy, Middle Ages, wall paintings, tin leaf decoration, spatial and spectral imaging techniques, COSCH

Introduction

The Château de Germolles dates from the fourteenth century and is the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. The wall paintings decorating the ducal piano nobile are a unique manifestation of the courtly love that permeated the courts of French and Italian dukes and princes of the time. Concealed sometime in the nineteenth century, the wall paintings were accidentally rediscovered during World War II. They were non-professionally uncovered in the 1970s and restored in 1989–95.