La Casa delle Maschere di Solunto: rilievo, analisi diagnostiche e Virtual Restoration Experience

Abstract

The multidisciplinary study of the Insula XI in Solunto, known as the “Casa delle Maschere”, a Hellenistic-Roman domus in the Archaeological Park of Himera, Solunto and Monte Iato (PA), involved a complex interpretation of heterogeneous information derived from historical- archaeological research, overcoming the traditional conflict between humanities and sciences. The house, excavated in two distinct phases (1869-1871 and 1962), takes its name from a cycle of frescoes depicting false marbles, garlands, and theatrical masks that characterize a room (oecus) of a reception suite. The study aimed to develop a comprehensive approach to knowledge, fruition, and enhancement through archaeological, diagnostic, and virtual restoration methods, integrating humanistic, scientific, and computer methodologies to restore the artifact to its complete (or near-complete) integrity. The philological approach started with the digital survey of the surfaces, followed by the identification of decorative elements and the diagnosis of degradation through non-destructive or microinvasive investigations using portable and laboratory equipment, such as multispectral analyses, XRF, and colorimetry. The multi-analytical approach allowed identifying pigments and binders used by the painters and provided data for a new scientific-based hypothesis on the decorative apparatus, necessary for the virtual restoration intervention. The digital restoration intervention, using the same procedures as real restoration, can isolate portions of frescoes, reintegrate removed decorations, and detect invisible decorations with a non-invasive approach. This re-reading is possible thanks to IR and UV light recordings that isolate the brushstrokes related to the single represented elements. The project ends with the proposal of a Virtual Restoration Experience, which involves the projection of virtual restorations made with videomapping that transforms frescoes into tableaux vivants, creating an immersive and real visual experience for the observer. The installation requires the ideal and non-invasive positioning of all technological equipment, such as media servers, audio systems, and professional projectors. Communicating works to the public in the context in which they were conceived and realized makes the context itself an integral part of the work and the communicative message, amplifying its impact.