From words to artwork: contributions to a new perspective on stained glass art, by Márcia Vilarigues (FCT NOVA)

We intend to set out the path that leads to the creation of new knowledge based on the connections established between historical documentary information on the production of glass and stained glass and the historical material testimonies of this art form.

We thus present recipes for the dyes used in stained-glass painting, such as grisailles, silver yellow, enamels and blood red that we reproduced and applied in laboratory or wood-fired ovens and with a characterisation of the results obtained.

The aim is to understand how the historical written information represents the actual practices in the glass and stained glass production workshops.

Biographical note
Márcia Vilarigues is Chair of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of NOVA University and develops research on Cultural Heritage Conservation Sciences.

Since 2011, she has served as Director of the Research Unit Vicarte – Glass and Ceramics for the Arts. This Research Unit is dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary approaches to glass and ceramic materials, focusing on the intersections between art and science and stimulating the sharing of knowledge, experiences and methodologies between these two fields.

Her work focuses on the characterisation of historical materials, mainly the glass and stained glass collections found in Portuguese museums and archaeological collections, as well as paintings, within the scope of several funded projects. This research aims to contribute to the knowledge and preservation of heritage through demonstrating the historical and artistic value and improving conservation strategies.