Italian canvas weave

I am in search of someone who knows Italian painting canvas c.
1475-1650. I have been treating a painting that, if original, should
date to around 1525.  It has been suggested that someone may be able
to venture a date of the painting by the style of the canvas weave.

Analysis of the painting's materials (pigment analysis and carbon
dating of the canvas) suggest that the painting is old, but the
results are not very specific.  The materials identified in the
testing could have been used hundreds of years either side of 1525.
A number of art historians and curators have looked at my painting
and judged it on the basis of style. Generally the opinion has been
that my painting is a c. 1600-1650 copy. The owner of the painting
is not satisfied with opinions and would like more objective
information.

The original canvas is in a good state of preservation, even the
tacking edges are relatively intact. Someone who knows the various
dates and regional preferences of specific Italian painting canvas
weave might be able to narrow the date of this painting.  If you
know someone I can contact (or know someone who might know someone)
it would be very helpful.  Of course any published studies of
Italian canvas weave would also be useful.

Perry Hurt
Regional Conservation Services
North Carolina Museum of Art
919-839-6262 ext.2207
Fax: 919-733-8034


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:3
                   Distributed: Friday, June 20, 2003
                        Message Id: cdl-17-3-020
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