Generally, the stuccos manufactures are made of a mixture of slaked lime and various aggregates and granulometry, which can be easily colored with natural pigments, depending on the utilize. If designated to an indoor environment are preferred aggregates which provide a best workability, while for outdoor is used a dough more resistant to the atmospheric agents.

The stuccos can be used in imitation of marble or statues, high-reliefs, bas-reliefs, frames and panels. A particular kind of stucco is the plaster, which has been spread starting from the mid-nineteenth century mainly because of the ancient art works reproduction through plaster casts.

The diagnostic research possible on this work can put in evidence both the composition of stucco that its state of conservation: the most appropriate technique is the observation of stratigraphic cross and thin sections by a osservazione al microscopeor with the EIMA software possibly followed by an analisi X-ray diffraction to have more detailed data. May also be useful to make a FTIR spectrometry to characterize any organic materials, while magnetometric inspections can detect the presence of armed iron reinforcements or supports.