Non-Invasive and Micro-Invasive Analyses for Supporting the Attribution of Three 17th Century Wooden Crucifixes: Pictorial Materials and Construction Techniques of Fra’ Umile da Petralia

This research deals with a multi-analytical approach to characterise three polychrome wooden crucifixes attributed to Fra’ Umile da Petralia or, in one case, close to his style. The analysed wooden sculptures belong to (1) the Sanctuary of Saint Umile from Bisignano (Cosenza, Italy); (2) the Santissimo Crocifisso Church at Cutro (Crotone, Italy); (3) the Saint Salvatore Church at Gangi (Palermo, Italy). Fra’ Umile (Giovanni Francesco Pintorno) was born in Petralia Soprana (Palermo, Sicily) between 1600 and 1601, died on 9 February 1639, and belonged to the Order of Friars Minor. Systematic research of the materials and constructive techniques of wooden sculptures is still not very wide, although diagnostic analyses could represent a useful tool for art historians and restorers for these typologies of works of art. The wooden sculptures were subjected to both non-invasive and micro-invasive investigations. Digital direct X-ray radiography, SEM-EDX, and X-ray fluorescence analyses have been carried out, revealing for the three analysed sculptures a similar construction technique and similar pictorial materials. The provided diagnostic evidence supports the coincident chronology and the same attribution to Fra’ Umile da Petralia or his workshop, confirming the proposals based on the stylistic comparative analyses and archival historical documents. The results of this first multi-analytical investigation, documenting the artistic technique and construction system, represent a starting point for future systematic study on the artistic production of this prolific artist and sculptor never studied from a technical–scientific point of view to date.