The Conservation Treatment of Tattooed Human Skin Fragments from the Luigi Cattaneo Anatomical Wax Collection of the University of Bologna

This article examines the conservation treatment of nineteen tattooed human skin specimens mounted on two wooden panels belonging to the Luigi Cattaneo Anatomical Wax Collection of the University of Bologna. The conservative approach aimed at improving the structural stability and enhancing the legibility of the tattoos while making only minor changes that preserved the original mounting arrangement. This work provided a rare opportunity to study human skin from a conservation perspective, applying standard parchment conservation methodologies to accommodate its properties. The project also included analytical studies that examined the ink composition, the condition of the skins, and research on the historical processing methods used to prepare and store these specimens.