1
|
do Nascimento Campos G, Granato M, Middea A, de Souza Gonçalves Vasques F, da Fonseca Martins Gomes O. Multitechnique Characterization of Pigments Used in Paintings by Léon Pallière. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1315-1327. [PMID: 37488819 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
This study provides a microanalytical characterization of pigment fragments from the painting "Allegory to the Arts" and two portraits, "Rubens" and "Tintoretto," by Léon Pallière. The fragments were surface-analyzed using several near-surface methods to acquire information on the materials and determine the painting techniques utilized before the restoration. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), Raman spectroscopy coupled to an optical microscope (Raman microprobe), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed organic materials, hydrocerussite (Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2), cerussite (PbCO3), zincite (ZnO), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), nepheline (K(Na,K)3AlSi4O16), calcite (CaCO3), brookite (TiO2), kinoshitalite (Ba3(Si2Al2)O10(OH)2), hematite (Fe2O3), barium magnesium silicate (Ba2Mg(Si2O7)), and aluminosilicates. Also identified were vermilion/cinnabar (HgS), copper phthalocyanine blue (C32H16CuN8), and mendipite (Pb3Cl2O2), in addition to the use of gold leaf in one of the artworks. SEM/EDS provided information on the chemical composition and surface morphology of the fragments, and XRD revealed crystalline raw materials (minerals or their synthetic analogs) used in the paintings. Raman microprobe was particularly useful in identifying pigments, providing a uniquely specific and sensitive means of identifying inorganic and organic compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcus Granato
- Museum of Astronomy (MAST), Rua General Bruce 586, Bairro Imperial de São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro 20921-030, Brazil
| | - Antonieta Middea
- Centre for Mineral Technology (CETEM), Av. Pedro Calmon, 900, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-908, Brazil
| | | | - Otavio da Fonseca Martins Gomes
- Centre for Mineral Technology (CETEM), Av. Pedro Calmon, 900, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-908, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Geosciences, National Museum, UFRJ, Av. Quinta da Boa Vista, S/N, Bairro Imperial de São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro 20940-040, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Galli A, Caccia M, Bonizzoni L, Gargano M, Ludwig N, Poldi G, Martini M. Deep inside the color: How optical microscopy contributes to the elemental characterization of a painting. Microchem J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2020.104730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
3
|
Huică I, Cortea IM, Ratoiu L, Ghervase L, Rădvan R, Mohanu D. Multidisciplinary approach for time-framing of an overpainted wooden iconostasis from Southern Romania. Microchem J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2020.104685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
4
|
Hendriks L, Kradolfer S, Lombardo T, Hubert V, Küffner M, Khandekar N, Hajdas I, Synal HA, Hattendorf B, Günther D. Dual isotope system analysis of lead white in artworks. Analyst 2020; 145:1310-1318. [PMID: 31935004 DOI: 10.1039/c9an02346a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Isotopic studies are gaining much interest in heritage science, as they can provide insight into a material's age and provenance. Radiocarbon (14C) dating affords a time frame for the materials being studied, thus providing a historical context, whereas the specific pattern of lead isotope ratios may be used to set geographical constraints on the source of the original materials. Both methods require invasive sampling from the object, and henceforth limits their respective application. With the focus on lead white paint (2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2), in this study we extract the time of production of the pigment from the carbonate anion by radiocarbon dating while its origin is traced by lead isotope analysis on the cation. The methodology was applied to 12 British and 8 Swiss paintings from the 18th to 20th century, with known dates and provenance. The 14C analysis of the lead white in combination with the organic binder and canvas alone places all objects between the 17th and 20th centuries, which is in agreement with their signed date, wheras the lead isotope analysis of all samples are consistent with lead ores from European deposits. In most of the cases the combined results are consistent with the art historical data and prove that isotope analysis is intrinsic to the object. This feasibility study conducted on paintings of known age demonstrates the possibility to maximize the information output from lead white paint, thus increasing the benefits of a single sampling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hendriks
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Righetti PG, Zilberstein G, D’Amato A. What Sherlock sorely missed: the EVA technology for cultural heritage exploration. Expert Rev Proteomics 2019; 16:533-542. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2019.1624164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pier Giorgio Righetti
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering ‘‘Giulio Natta’’, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Alfonsina D’Amato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antonopoulou-Athera N, Chatzitheodoridis E, Terlixi A, Doulgerides M, Serafetinides AA. Reconstructing the colour palette of the Konstantinos Parthenis' burnt paintings. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2018; 201:315-327. [PMID: 29763825 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2018.04.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This case study focuses on the reconstruction of the colour palette and the possibility of laser cleaning of burnt paintings. The paintings ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD and CONCORDIA, composed by the Greek artist Konstantinos Parthenis (1878-1967), have been severely damaged by fire. The colour palette of Parthenis is thoroughly investigated for the first time, and to perform this, a multi-analytical spectroscopic approach was employed. Non-destructive in situ analysis was performed on multiple areas of the paintings by portable XRF. SEM-EDS and Raman, supported by reflected visible light optical microscopy, and ultraviolet light microscopy, as well as structural XRD and molecular FTIR were performed for identifying the pigments, the binder and the substrate of the paintings. This work also unveiled new aspects of the painting technique used by the artist, such as the uncommon use of multiple pigments of red hue in the upper paint layers, comparatively with the rest of Parthenis' paintings. Molecular spectroscopic techniques (i.e., Raman and FTIR) were effective in identifying pigments like chrome yellow (crocoite mineral), chrome orange (phoenicochroite mineral) and viridian green (hydrated chromium oxide). The spectroscopic analyses were also essential in the laser cleaning restoration because of the detection of pigments (i.e., lead white, vermilion etc.) prone to phase transformations due to photothermal and/or photochemical effects. Our investigation establishes the basis on the application of non-conventional cleaning methods on damaged paintings, such as laser irradiation, in order to remove the damaged layer and/or the superficial accretions, while preserving the hues of the original painting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Antonopoulou-Athera
- School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece.
| | - E Chatzitheodoridis
- School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece
| | - A Terlixi
- Directorate of Conservation of Works of Art, National Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Alsos Stratou, Goudi, 11525 Athens, Greece
| | - M Doulgerides
- Directorate of Conservation of Works of Art, National Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Alsos Stratou, Goudi, 11525 Athens, Greece
| | - A A Serafetinides
- Physics Department, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ghervase L, Cortea IM, Rădvan R, Ratoiu L, Chelmuș A. Complementary investigations of two Lipovan-style icons. Microchem J 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2018.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
8
|
Costa TG, Ritcher FA, de M. Correia MD, Escorteganha MR, Santiago AG, Gonçalves S, Spudeit DA, Micke GA, Miranda FS. Multi-technical analysis as a tool to investigate structural species in the “replica” of First Mass in Brazil painting by Sebastião Vieira Fernandes. J Mol Struct 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2016.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
9
|
Revealing the composition of organic materials in polychrome works of art: the role of mass spectrometry-based techniques. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016; 408:6957-81. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-016-9862-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|