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Laser irradiation enables the removal of unwanted surface deposits from different materials in a safe and controllable manner. Laser parameters should be carefully selected to achieve the removal of the target contaminants without inducing damage to the substrate. Ultra-short pulse lasers have opened new opportunities for safe and controlled decontamination of cultural heritage materials because the thickness of material that is affected by the laser is limited. In this study, an ultraviolet femtosecond pulsed laser was used for the removal of unwanted encrustation formed on the surface of an historical colourless stainedglass sample from the Cuenca Cathedral in Spain. One of the sides of this glass exhibits a reddish-brown grisaille that also has to be preserved. A laser cleaning process has been designed to avoid heat accumulation while controlling the thickness of ablated material. In this context, a multi-step process was selected in order to be able to eliminate, in a controlled way, the crust layer without damaging the grisaille layer, or the glass substrate. In this case, laser irradiation in beam scanning mode with a pulse repetition frequency of 10 kHz proved to be effective for the safe cleaning of the glass. The latter was analysed before and after laser cleaning by optical and confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy, confirming that the crust layer was effectively eliminated without damaging the surface., This work was supported by H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD/ED-ARCHMAT action under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 766311. Partial support is obtained from Gobierno de Aragón (research group T54_20R). The use of Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación at the University of Zaragoza is acknowledged. This work has been performed in the framework of the Unidad Asociada de I+D+I al CSIC “Vidrio y Materiales del Patrimonio Cultural (VIMPAC)”, by INMA (CSIC-University of Zaragoza) and University of Burgos.

Los láseres de pulso ultracorto han abierto nuevas oportunidades para la descontaminación segura y controlada de los materiales del patrimonio cultural. Este tipo de láseres son controlables, seguros bajo ciertas condiciones de uso y amigables con el medio ambiente, entre otras ventajas. En este trabajo se utilizaron láseres de pulsos ultracortos en el desarrollo de protocolos de limpieza con láser utilizando una serie de vidrieras contemporáneas que se utilizan frecuentemente en restauración; Uno de los objetivos es explorar la aplicabilidad del uso de estos láseres para eliminar de forma segura las incrustaciones de las vidrieras históricas. Se diseñaron protocolos de limpieza con láser que permitieron la eliminación segura y eficaz de las incrustaciones de la superficie del vidrio. Los protocolos establecidos se aplicaron con éxito en la limpieza láser de las vidrieras históricas de la Catedral de Cuenca (España) y la Catedral de Chartres (Francia) sin inducir daño a la capa de grisalla ni al sustrato de vidrio., Ultra-short pulse lasers have opened up new opportunities for safe and controlled decontamination of cultural heritage materials. These types of lasers are controllable, safe under certain condition of use and are environmentally friendly among other advantages. In this work, ultra-short pulsed lasers were utilized in the development of laser cleaning protocols using a series of contemporary stained-glasses frequently used in restoration; one of the objectives being to explore the applicability of using these lasers to safely remove encrustations formed on historical stained-glass windows. Laser cleaning protocols were designed that allowed safe and effective removal of encrustations from the glass surface. The established protocols were successfully applied in the laser cleaning of historical stained-glass windows from Cuenca cathedral (Spain) and Chartres cathedral (France) without inducing damage to the grisaille layer or on the glass substrate., I also express my gratitude for the funding support from H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD/EDARCHMAT action under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 766311. For the partial support obtained from Gobierno de Aragón “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón” (research group T54_20R) and for the availability and the use of the Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación at the University of Zaragoza. Also to mention and thank the team working under the framework of the Unidad Asociada de I+D+I al CSIC “Vidrio y Materiales del Patrimonio Cultural (VIMPAC)”, INMA (CSIC-University of Zaragoza) and the University of Burgos as well as the team at the Université Bordeaux Montaigne France for all the support.

Laser irradiation enables the removal of unwanted surface deposits from different materials in a safe and controllable manner. Laser parameters should be carefully selected to achieve the removal of the target contaminants without inducing damage to the substrate. Ultra-short pulse lasers have opened new opportunities for safe and controlled decontamination of cultural heritage materials because the thickness of material that is affected by the laser is limited. In this study, an ultraviolet femtosecond pulsed laser was used for the removal of unwanted encrustation formed on the surface of an historical colourless stained-glass sample from the Cuenca Cathedral in Spain. One of the sides of this glass exhibits a reddish-brown grisaille that also has to be preserved. A laser cleaning process has been designed to avoid heat accumulation while controlling the thickness of ablated material. In this context, a multi-step process was selected in order to be able to eliminate, in a controlled way, the crust layer without damaging the grisaille layer, or the glass substrate. In this case, laser irradiation in beam scanning mode with a pulse repetition frequency of 10 kHz proved to be effective for the safe cleaning of the glass. The latter was analysed before and after laser cleaning by optical and confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy, confirming that the crust layer was effectively eliminated without damaging the surface.

Projected in 1908 and placed in 1914, the stained-glass window of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was one of the first artistic stained-glass windows manufactured by La Veneciana. Despite occupying the largest window of the cathedral-basilica of Zaragoza remains ignored by tourist guides and the Internet. This work sheds light on this stained-glass window, your designer and art on glass. Next, we will analyze its ‘pilarista’ composition, a synthesis of the civil, religious and legendary history of Zaragoza. We will conclude with the deep symbolic meaning of this stained-glass window, which consecrates the Virgen del Pilar as the honor of the people of Zaragoza, Aragon and Spain. Eventually, this article constitutes an invitation to consider this work as an element of the spirit of Spanish-French reconciliation of 1908., Proyectada en 1908 y colocada en 1914, la vidriera de Nuestra Señora del Pilar fue una de las primeras vidrieras artísticas fabricadas por La Veneciana. Pese a ocupar el mayor ventanal de la catedral-basílica de Zaragoza permanece ignorada por las guías turísticas e Internet. Este trabajo arroja luz sobre dicho vitral, su diseñador y el arte sobre cristal. Analizamos su composición pilarista en el contexto de la historia civil, religiosa y legendaria de Zaragoza. Concluiremos con el profundo significado simbólico de esta vidriera que consagra a la Virgen del Pilar como el honor del pueblo zaragozano, aragonés y español así como un elemento del espíritu de la reconciliación hispano-francesa de 1908.

Projected in 1908 and placed in 1914, the stained-glass window of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was one of the first artistic stained-glass windows manufactured by La Veneciana. Despite occupying the largest window of the cathedral-basilica of Zaragoza remains ignored by tourist guides and the Internet. This work sheds light on this stained-glass window, your designer and art on glass. Next, we will analyze its ‘pilarista’ composition, a synthesis of the civil, religious and legendary history of Zaragoza. We will conclude with the deep symbolic meaning of this stained-glass window, which consecrates the Virgen del Pilar as the honor of the people of Zaragoza, Aragon and Spain. Eventually, this article constitutes an invitation to consider this work as an element of the spirit of Spanish-French reconciliation of 1908., Proyectada en 1908 y colocada en 1914, la vidriera de Nuestra Señora del Pilar fue una de las primeras vidrieras artísticas fabricadas por La Veneciana. Pese a ocupar el mayor ventanal de la catedral-basílica de Zaragoza permanece ignorada por las guías turísticas e Internet. Este trabajo arroja luz sobre dicho vitral, su diseñador y el arte sobre cristal. Analizamos su composición pilarista en el contexto de la historia civil, religiosa y legendaria de Zaragoza. Concluiremos con el profundo significado simbólico de esta vidriera que consagra a la Virgen del Pilar como el honor del pueblo zaragozano, aragonés y español así como un elemento del espíritu de la reconciliación hispano-francesa de 1908.