Computational models for pigments analysis

The main objective of this study is to develop computational models and algorithms for automated image-based characterization of the types of pigments used in watercolours. Pigments constitute the main element of watercolours and such studies can provide important information related to the non-destructive examination of works of art. Semi-transparent pigments are very difficult to discriminate with non-destructive methods due to the reflective properties of the substrate; computer vision techniques can complement such traditional diagnostic methods by computing models and interpreting the visual properties of the pigments used. PACS 07.05.Pj; 42.30.Tz; 42.30.Va; 42.40.My; 89.20.Cf     

Scientific investigations of the Imperial Gates from the Petrindu wooden church,Salaj County,Romania

In order to preserve and restore the Imperial Gates from the Petrindu wooden church, Salaj County, Romania, (map location—latitude, longitude: 46.97, 23.19), the scientific investigation of the wooden support and painting materials (ground and pigments) was performed, employing Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and 3D scanning. FTIR spectroscopy offered information about the wooden degradation stage, whereas X‐ray fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopic methods were employed for structural painting materials characterization. The structural data can be correlated with the artistic, theological, and historical analysis of this religious patrimony object. After obtaining information about the wooden support and painting materials, the Imperial Gates were 3D digitized using state of the art laser scanning technology. The digital 3D model obtained was restored in a virtual environment and converted into an interactive 3D model that can be used for Romanian cultural heritage digital dissemination.     

Pump-probe imaging of historical pigments used in paintings

A recently developed nonlinear optical pump-probe microscopy technique uses modulation transfer to sensitively extract excited-state dynamics of endogenous biological pigments, such as eumelanin and pheomelanin. In this work, we use this method to image and characterize several inorganic and organic pigments used in historical art. We show substantial differences in the near-IR pump-probe signatures from nominally similar pigments and suggest extensions to art restoration.     

The use of Raman microscopy and laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry in the examination of synthetic organic pigments in modern works of art

Synthetic organic pigments are widely used in modern and contemporary works of art. They have been examined by a variety of techniques including spectroscopic methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, and X‐ray powder diffraction as well as chromatographic or mass spectrometric techniques such as pyrolysis‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI–MS). Often, a combination of techniques has been used to examine these pigments. This paper describes use of Raman spectroscopy to create a database of colorants including two pigments not previously reported, PO1 and PO2. Then, using Raman spectroscopy in combination with LDI–MS, samples from modern works of art by artists including Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and José de Rivera were examined in order to identify the pigments present. One finding was that Rothko used a variety of red pigments over the course of his career including PR11 which has not been previously reported in artwork, and PO2 found with its positional isomer PR1. Knowledge of the colorants serves to inform conservators about display and treatment decisions. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

An example of the complementarity of laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy and Raman microscopy for wall painting pigments analysis

Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Raman microscopy were used for the identification of pigments in wall painting. Raman spectroscopy, which provides the molecular ‘fingerprint’ of the compound, is nowadays widely used by the archaeometry community, especially for pigment analysis. LIBS, which provides the elementary composition of samples, is a rapid noncontact method, enabling layer‐by‐layer analysis through a precise laser ablation of the sample. This work deals with the behavior of pigments after a LIBS analysis, by trying to identify the compounds before and after the laser shot. Six commercial pigments prepared with the fresco technique were investigated: ultramarine blue, red lead, charcoal, a yellow and a red ochre, and a green earth. Raman spectra, acquired on the sample surface and in the crater induced by LIBS analysis, were compared. The results show that these pigments are well recognized after a LIBS measurement. The analysis of green earth illustrates that the combination of these two techniques gives complete information from a sample. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Laboratory two-dimensional X-ray microdiffraction technique: a support for authentication of an unknown Ghirlandaio painting

Europe has a very rich and diversified cultural heritage of art works, including buildings, monuments and objects of all sizes, involving a great variety of materials. The continuous discovery of new art works opens the problem of their authentication. Advanced analytical techniques can be fundamental to understand the way of life, the culture and the technical and intellectual know-how of the artists. Indeed, the authentication of an art work involves the identification of the used materials, their production techniques and procedures used for the work realization. It is possible to know the origin and provenance of materials, including the location of the natural sources. Advanced analytical techniques also help one to understand degradation processes, corrosion, weathering, and preservation-conservation protocols. In this paper we present a painting attributed to Domenico Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio is a well-known artist of fifteenth century who contributes to the apprenticeship of Michelangelo Buonarroti. The study of the pigments used in this painting, which belongs to a private collection, has been supported mainly by means of laboratory two-dimensional X-ray microdiffraction (μXRD²). The possibility to obtain information about not only the phase, but also microstructure allows one to extract interesting consideration and to obtain evidence of the painter’s style and intention. PACS  61.10.Nz; 61.10.Eq; 78.70.En     

In‐situ and laboratory Raman analysis in the field of cultural heritage: the case of a mural painting

The present work exemplifies, over a mural painting from the 14th century, the advantages of an initial exhaustive research using latest generation hand‐held spectrometers (Raman mainly) in order to perform the characterization of valuable objects of cultural heritage. These in‐situ techniques (meaning on‐site and non‐destructive) are very useful to study the pigments and materials, to identify the nature and causes of some of the main sources of deterioration and to examine past repaints. In addition, the in‐situ measurements are of great importance in the selection of micro‐samples for the laboratory analyses. In this particular case, the combination of these results with the chemical imaging analyses in the laboratory (such as Raman and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry imaging) allowed the characterization of the mural painting, including, the identification of all restoration works applied in the past. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

油画“穿着晚礼服的女士”XRF的全域成分分析

使用X射线荧光光谱分析仪研究了创作于1955年的油画作品“穿着晚礼服的女士”中的全域颜料的成分分布,分析了该油画颜料的材料信息。这幅创作于20世纪中叶的油画依然主要采用矿物质颜料,同时也有少量区域开始采用有机颜料,部分部位的油画颜料为作者自己配制的非标准油画颜料。油画由于其艺术创作的特性,部分颜色相近区域的成分含量基本一致,仅有少部分区域出现较大波动,因此特定区域的成分可作为该区域的独有的指纹信息作为其鉴定的一个依据。     

Vibrational and electronic properties of painting lakes

Naturally occurring dyes have been used to produce painting pigments, called lakes, by precipitation or adsorption of an organic dyestuff onto an insoluble inorganic substrate. Most natural dyes link to metal cations, by means of coordination bonds. The stable complexes formed precipitate together with solid amorphous hydrous aluminum oxide in alkaline solutions, yielding a hybrid material called a lake. Conventional chromatographic methods for lake analysis require dye extraction from the substrate; as a consequence, they do not provide any information about the organo-metallic complexes. In this work a comprehensive investigation based on X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared and UV–visible absorption and emission spectroscopies was carried out on 13 organic pigments derived from eight different natural sources. Three different kinds of substrate containing aluminum hydroxide were distinguished dependent on different preparation procedures. Information concerning the recipe and the dye composition was obtained by UV–visible spectroscopies. Dyes from different sources (animal or vegetal) could be distinguished. This study shows that the combined use of different spectroscopic techniques provides complementary information to high-performance liquid chromatography and therefore can be proposed for a molecular non-invasive investigation of these materials on works of art. PACS  87.64.Ni; 87.64.Je     

In-depth micro-spectrochemical analysis of archaeological Egyptian pottery shards

Old Egyptian pottery samples have been in-depth microchemically analyzed using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Samples from two different ancient Islamic eras, Mamluk (1250–1517 AD), Fatimid (969–1169 AD) in addition to samples from the Roman period (30 BC–395 AD) were investigated. LIBS provided the analytical data necessary to study in micrometric steps the depth profiling of various elements in each sample. Common elements such as silicon, calcium, and aluminum relevant to the originally manufactured and processed clay, showed up in all the investigated samples. EDX and XRD techniques that have been used in the present work provided important chemical insight about the structure of the samples. The obtained analytical results demonstrated the possibility of using LIBS technique in performing in situ spectrochemical analysis of archaeological pottery. This leads to fast in-depth spatial characterization of the samples in the micron range with nearly invisible surface destructive effects. There is no doubt that this can help in restoration and conservation of such precious objects.     

The use of atmospheric pressure laser desorption mass spectrometry for the study of iron-gall ink

The study of ancient works of art is a very challenging task, mainly due to the impossibility of applying experimental approaches that could damage anyhow the object from which analytical information has to be obtained. Spatially resolved analytical methods have significantly enhanced our capacity to study ancient material since they cause minimal and at times no damage to the studied object. Unfortunately, only a few analytical techniques operating within the requested spatial resolution are applicable for the investigation of the organic components of artistic and archaeological objects. In this work, iron-gall ink was prepared according to ancient recipes and its composition was evaluated by AP/MALDI-MS. The latter is demonstrated to be a very valuable tool for the study of the organic components of ancient works of art as it combines the advantages of the vacuum MALDI-MS analytical approach to the possibility of analysing samples in air. In situ analyses were also carried out by analysing strokes of ink directly from paper and parchment. PACS 82.80.Ms; 61.66.Hq; 87.14.-g     

The study of the mural painting in the 12th century monastery of Santa Maria delle Cerrate (Puglia‐Italy): characterization of materials and techniques used

A multidisciplinary research was conducted by the University of Salento in collaboration with the Lecce Provincial Museum, in order to study different forms of art widespread in the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy) very valuable from an artistic point of view and important as driving force for the tourism of the area. In this research, the archaeometrical analysis was used to study the first cycle of paintings of the church of Santa Maria delle Cerrate, an italo‐greek monastery located in the country about 15 km north‐east of Lecce, probably built in the 12th century. Microscopic, chromatographic and spectrometric techniques were used: optical microscopy was used to study samples and the relevant stratigraphy, micro‐Raman Spectroscopy to identify pigments and Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection to investigate the techniques masters used to decorate the monastery church. Further information on organic and inorganic materials present in the samples were obtained from Fourier transform infrared analysis in attenuated total reflectance. Materials and techniques were clearly ascertained, and, interestingly, pigments were applied both by fresco and egg‐based tempera. Among the various pigments detected, the identification of both lapis lazuli and lead white opened new perspectives both from the historical and conservative points of view. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

微区光谱分析技术在文物颜料保护中的研究进展

颜料是彩绘文物的重要物质组成和艺术表现形式,文物颜料的保护一直是文化遗产保护领域的热点和难点。文物具有不可再生的特性,文物颜料的原位、无损、微样本的准确分析是该类文物保护的重要工作。随着各种微束技术的进步,微区光谱分析技术以精准微区定位、快速光谱扫描的工作方式,在文物保护研究中具有独特的优势,因而其应用得到了快速发展。从颜料成分分析、颜料降解褪色分析、保护效果评价等方面探讨了微区X射线荧光光谱分析(μ-XRF)、微区激光诱导击穿光谱分析(μ-LIBS)、微区拉曼光谱分析(μ-Raman)、微区红外光谱分析(μ-FTIR)、微区X射线吸收近边结构光谱分析(μ-XANES)、微区时间分辨光致发光光谱分析(μ-TRPL)、微区褪色测试(μ-FT)等技术在彩绘文物颜料保护中的应用、特点及技术难点,并从消除测量干扰、改进测量装置、研发联合装置等方面展望了微区光谱技术的发展趋势。其中,μ-XRF,μ-LIBS,μ-Raman和μ-FTIR是目前颜料成分分析常用的微区光谱分析技术,而且μ-Raman和μ-FTIR在保护效果评价中应用广泛,μ-FTIR和μ-XRF还可用于颜料降解分析。常用微区光谱技术...     

Joaquin Sorolla's pigment characterisation of the paintings ‘Vision of Spain’ by means of EDXRF portable system

In this work, portable energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry was employed to the characterisation of the palette used by the Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923) in the paintings ‘Vision of Spain’, a set of 14 oils on canvas painted by Sorolla between 1911 and 1919 by order of Mr Archer Huntington to decorate the library of the Hispanic Society of America (HSA) in New York. The analyses, sponsored by BANCAJA and provided by the HSA, were carried out in situ, prior to the cleaning and restoration process, while the paintings hanging on the walls of the library of the HSA. The results revealed that the paintings were made over different priming layers containing, respectively, lead white, zinc and barium compounds, lead white mixed with zinc white or lead white mixed with zinc and barium compounds. The EDXRF analyses of coloured zones identified up to 29 inorganic pigments and, in some cases, the probable use of organic pigments. Sorolla used traditional pigments as earth pigments, lead white, vermillion, etc., and modern pigments as cadmium yellow, zinc white, cobalt‐based blue, chromium‐based green, manganese‐based violet, etc. These results provide valuable information about the Sorolla's palette during the last stage of his life. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

青海热贡地区传统建筑彩画颜料光谱特征分析研究

青海省热贡地区是安多藏区藏式建筑彩画艺术的重要产地,作为热贡艺术的重要组成部分影响甚广。热贡地方建筑彩画不仅是附着建筑栋梁之上的艺术瑰宝,更是一项延续至今的传统技艺,至今仍有大批传统匠人画师从事相关行业。热贡地方建筑彩画有独立的用色方法和颜料制作工艺,对其所用传统颜料进行科学检测是系统研究该地区建筑彩画的基础性工作,在进一步研究热贡地区建筑彩画的制作工艺和艺术特色,传承地方建筑彩画技艺和完善保护政策等方面具有积极意义。通过对同仁市隆务寺夏日仓行宫火供殿所用当地传统建筑彩画颜料的采样,运用X射线荧光光谱、X射线衍射分析、激光显微拉曼光谱分析等多种实验分析方法,对颜料样品进行分析,测定其主要显色物质和成分占比。结果表明,热贡地方建筑彩画所用颜料多为无机颜料;蓝色颜料主要是人造群青;绿色颜料的主要矿物组成为绿土,显色物质为蒙脱石,存在将植物色染料加入当地所产的富镁蒙脱石中混合使用的可能性;红色颜料的主要矿物组成为铁红（赭石类红土）,通过焙烧富铁矿土来人工合成,材料来自于当地吾屯村所产红色赭石类粘土;黄色颜料主要矿物组成为密陀僧、硫磺及其他植物色染料制备而成;黑色颜料为碳黑,符合木炭黑的性状特征;白色颜料主要为生石灰及氧化镁粉,并在其他颜料中广泛使用石灰及氧化镁粉作为调色颜料;推测部分样品中含有包金土及植物色素染料、其他人工合成颜料的可能性。整体来看,热贡地区建筑彩画所用颜料成本价格较低,制取难度不大,来源大多是当地常见的矿土料和动植物染料,传统的制料工艺较简单,颜料多呈现为组分复杂的混合物状态;密陀僧、包金土和群青等颜料多来自于内地及国外,颜料人工合成的历史较早,反映出热贡地区建筑彩画在颜料使用上不仅使用本土材料制备,也广泛使用外来颜料的历史传统,为进一步研究热贡地区建筑彩画领域内汉、藏等多民族文化交往、交流、交融历史提供了良好实证材料。     

火星车载激光诱导击穿光谱仪(MarsCoDe)在轨定标样品选取研究

我国首次火星全球遥感与区域巡视探测任务已获批立项,首个火星探测器也即将前往火星。为满足火星物质成分分析的需求,我国研制了不同类型的火星物质成分分析仪器,其中包括火星表面成分探测仪（MarsCoDe）,应用了激光诱导击穿光谱技术（laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy,LIBS）。火星表面覆盖尘埃,探测仪器想要准确获取火星尘埃之下的物质成分,必须剥去尘埃或者进行破坏从而深入岩层取样。LIBS可以用激光烧蚀待测物体表面,获得深部物质光谱信息,在火星表面探测中具有其他仪器无法取代的优势。LIBS在火星探测中几乎适用于探测每一个元素,包括轻元素H,Li,Be,B,C,N,O等,帮助寻找有机物和含水地质过程的证据。由于LIBS在火星环境工作,等离子体的物理性质与地球上完全不同。为了确保火星车载LIBS返回数据的光谱质量,需要对LIBS在着陆后开展在轨定标。借助火星车的携带在轨定标样品,对探测数据进行在轨定标,确保返回数据的可靠性。定标样品的选择是一项十分重要的工作,存在仪器工程条件限制、定标样品类型的代表性、元素成分分布范围、样品稳定性等多种考虑因素,需满足科学任务的同时达到加工工艺要求。总结了国外已有的火星车载LIBS在轨定标的研究进展,重点分析了LIBS在轨定标样品选择依据、国外选择样品的优缺点,并总结经验提出了几点建议,为我国在轨定标工作提供参考。对火星探测数据的正确解译,对未来研究火星的起源、火星的长期地质演变过程等具有重要的科学意义。     

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for on-line control of laser cleaning of sandstone and stained glass

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to control the cleaning process of polluted sandstone and medieval stained glass. A combination of a KrF Excimer and LIBS was used to clean areas of the artwork. The spectroscopic study of the plasma emission was used to determine the elemental composition of the crust and the underlying material. The on-line implementation of the spectroscopic technique LIBS to the cleaning process provides important information about the optimal cleaning parameters of artworks from glass and stone in order to avoid over-cleaning. Received: 26 January 1999 / Accepted: 22 April 1999 / Published online: 7 July 1999