On 25 September, at the Library of the Sacro Convento of Saint Francis in Assisi, the results of Custodire San Francesco were presented. The project, promoted by Fondazione Terna, forms part of the celebrations for the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis.
The project involved twelve documents from the Archive of the Sacro Convento, including papal bulls and documents, deeds of donation and records connected with the origins of the Franciscan Order and the construction of the Basilica. Following restoration carried out at the Laboratory for the Restoration of Books and Works of Art on Paper at Praglia Abbey, Franco Cosimo Panini Editore was entrusted with producing the facsimiles, which were presented to the public during the conference “Le pergamene di Frate Francesco”.
Reproducing a document, not just its image
A facsimile is not simply a photographic reproduction. Its production requires, as far as possible, the recreation of the physical characteristics of the original: the colour and texture of the parchment, surface irregularities, folds, abrasions, margins and the traces left by time. In the case of the Assisi documents, this complexity was increased by three-dimensional elements such as pendant seals and their suspension cords, which form an integral part of the material identity of each document.
The production of the facsimiles began after the conservation work had been completed, securing the originals and preparing them for the subsequent acquisition and reproduction stages. The process began with a new high-resolution photographic campaign, carried out by Haltadefinizione specifically for the production of the facsimiles. Each document was captured with the aim of recording not only the writing with precision, but also the variations in colour, transparency and the surface characteristics of the parchment.
For the larger documents, numerous close-up photographs were taken and subsequently combined through stitching into a single ultra-high-definition image. This technique made it possible to maintain a very high level of detail even in full-scale reproduction.
One of the most complex stages concerned the seals. Alongside the photographic campaign, three-dimensional surveys were carried out to document their shape, volumes, engravings and irregularities. The cords and other suspension elements were also analysed, so that each document could be reconstructed in its entirety rather than limiting the reproduction to its surface alone. The replication of the seals required material testing, colour checks and further experimentation, until the solution closest to the originals was identified.
From image to materiality
Once the acquisition phase was complete, the images underwent careful post-production and prepress processing, with adjustments to colour rendering, density, shadows and transparency. The parchments were then reproduced on both front and back on a support selected to resemble the originals not only visually, but also in texture and tactile perception.
Printing was followed by manual finishing processes. Seals, cords and three-dimensional elements were produced separately and applied to each individual document. The subsequent finishing and ageing processes made it possible to recreate the folds, irregularities and signs of use that characterise each parchment.
Overall, three complete sets of the twelve documents were produced, each housed in folders made from materials suitable for conservation.
Touching what must be protected
It is in the ability to reconcile protection and accessibility that the facsimile fulfils one of its most important functions.
The originals are unique and fragile documents whose handling must necessarily be limited and controlled. Reproductions, on the other hand, make it possible to examine the documents closely, study their details and understand their material qualities, while at the same time preserving the originals under the most appropriate conservation conditions. During the presentation on 25 September, the facsimiles were made available to the public precisely for this purpose: to make heritage that, in its original form, can only be consulted under controlled conditions more accessible.
The Assisi parchment project forms part of Franco Cosimo Panini Editore’s long-standing experience in the facsimile reproduction of manuscripts and historical documents, a field in which digital technologies, publishing expertise and skilled craftsmanship come together to recreate both the image and material qualities of works intended to be preserved over time.
