IL MANDOLINO A NAPOLI ALLA FINE DEL XVIII SECOLO: STUDIO DEGLI ELEMENTI DECORATIVI E CARATTERIZZAZIONE DEI MATERIALI

This work provides for the first time several scientific analyses performed on micro-samples from eleven mandolins produced in the second half of the 18th century in Naples. The mandolins, currently held in the National Museum of Musical Instruments of Rome, were built by the most important mandolin maker families in Naples, such as the Filano, the Fabricatore, the Gagliano and the Vinaccia. Different components of each mandolin were characterized: the varnishes (organic binders and pigments), the purflings, the resins of the sound hole decorations and the glues of the junctions. The goal was to define the production and decoration techniques used to make the mandolins and, if possible, to highlight different technical skills used by each luthier family. A multidisciplinary approach has been followed in order to fully characterize the materials, including stereoscopic and optical microscopy investigations, SEM – EDS, micro FT-IR, Raman analyses and Py-GC procedures. This research represents a contribution to the knowledge of the traditional building techniques of a class of musical instruments still to be studied by the scientific community