This paper presents the first study on Rodovetri, animation cels produced between the 1950s and the 1970s for the Italian television and conserved at the Museum of Industry and Labour “Musil” (Italy). Although these cels are considered as...
moreThis paper presents the first study on Rodovetri, animation cels produced between the 1950s and the 1970s
for the Italian television and conserved at the Museum of Industry and Labour “Musil” (Italy). Although
these cels are considered as works of art and witnesses of Italian animation design, they have never been
studied before. The study of one of the most endangered cel groups of the Musil collection is presented
here. The main aims were to investigate the composition of these animation cels, to identify the materials
used for painting the characters, and to assess the state of conservation of the cels. The results, which
were obtained by means of a multi-analytical non-invasive and micro-destructive approach, underline
the composition of the plastic substrate as nitrocellulose, while the painted layers – which contain a
variety of pigments and dyes – were found to be bound with a mixture of plant gum and animal glue. This
study also provides information on their state of conservation, in particular in relation to the de-nitration
of plastic sheets. Important issues on the preventive conservation are also raised.