Historical mystery solved: a multi-analytical approach to the identification of a key marker for the historical use of brazilwood (<i>Caesalpinia</i> spp.) in paintings and textiles

Peggie, David A.; Kirby, Jo; Poulin, Jennifer; Genuit, Wim; Romanuka, Julija; Wills, David F.; Simone, Alessio De; Hulme, Alison N.

doi:10.1039/c7ay02626a

Cited by 25 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…The compound eluted at 13.9 min was identified to be urolithin C ( 21 ) ( m / z 243, [M − H] − , Figure 3 e). Usually, it has been referred to as compound-type C, and its identity has been determined recently based on LC-ESI MS/MS, GC-MS, and NMR studies [ 36 ]. Since the structure of urolithin C is stabilized by resonance, the initiation of its fission required higher collision energies, and the fragmentation mostly led to the detachment of small molecules, such as OH ( m / z 226), CO ( m / z 215), CH 2 O ( m / z 213), CO 2 ( m / z 199), and double CO ( m / z 187).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it appears that there are no reports devoted to sandalwood colorants. Additionally, not all brazilwood markers have been identified yet, despite recent successes in this field [ 36 ]. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, there is no publication on a universal analytical approach discussing dozens of colorants, as opposed to being limited to just selected and the most popular compounds or their groups.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Mass Spectrometry-Based Approach for Characterization of Red, Blue, and Purple Natural Dyes

Lech

Fornal

2020

Molecules

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Effective analytical approaches for the identification of natural dyes in historical textiles are mainly based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with spectrophotometric detection and tandem mass spectrometric detection with electrospray ionization (HPLC-UV-Vis-ESI MS/MS). Due to the wide variety of dyes, the developed method should include an adequate number of reference color compounds, but not all of them are commercially available. Thus, the present study was focused on extending of the universal analytical HPLC-UV-Vis-ESI MS/MS approach to commercially unavailable markers of red, purple, and blue dyes. In the present study, HPLC-UV-Vis-ESI MS/MS was used to characterize the colorants in ten natural dyes (American cochineal, brazilwood, indigo, kermes, lac dye, logwood, madder, orchil, Polish cochineal, and sandalwood) and, hence, to extend the analytical method for the identification of natural dyes used in historical objects to new compounds. Dye markers were identified mostly on the basis of triple quadrupole MS/MS spectra. In consequence, the HPLC-UV-Vis-ESI MS/MS method with dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM) was extended to the next 49 commercially unavailable colorants (anthraquinones and flavonoids) in negative ion mode and to 11 (indigoids and orceins) in positive ion mode. These include protosappanin B, protosappanin E, erythrolaccin, deoxyerythrolaccin, nordamnacanthal, lucidin, santalin A, santalin B, santarubin A, and many others. Moreover, high-resolution QToF MS data led to the establishment of the complex fragmentation pathways of α-, β-, and γ- aminoorceins, hydroxyorceins, and aminoorceinimines extracted from wool dyed with Roccella tinctoria DC. The developed approach has been tested in the identification of natural dyes used in 223 red, purple, and blue fibers from 15th- to 17th-century silk textiles. These European and Near Eastern textiles have been used in vestments from the collections of twenty Krakow churches.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Approach for Characterization of Red, Blue, and Purple Natural Dyes

Lech

Fornal

2020

Molecules

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“…"Soluble redwood" is a marker for the use of redwood (Caesalpinia species) [17], which could still be identified in redwood dyeing samples when brazilein, the main compound in Caesalpinia species, is too hardly degraded to be identified. This marker compound was recently identified as the benzochromenone urolithin C [39]. Although light fugitive, redwood is a source of red dyes, which would explain the orange hue of sample 555_ P2.…”

Section: Yellow Dyes Beltsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Dyes and biological sources in nineteenth to twentieth century ethnographic textiles from Transylvania, Romania

Petroviciu¹,

Teodorescu

Albu

et al. 2019

Herit Sci

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Liquid chromatography with UV-Vis and mass spectrometric detection (LC-DAD-MS) was applied to the identification of dyes and biological sources in samples from nineteenth to twentieth century ethnographic textiles from ASTRA National Museum Complex, Sibiu, Transylvania. The objects are part of the Romanian traditional costume and are among the first to be acquired for the museum collections, around 1905. Oral and written information mention such objects as homemade, with nearby materials, while literature mentions a significant number of local vegetal sources as being used for textile dyeing. The analytical protocol developed, based on the combined use of the UV-Vis and mass spectrometric detectors to associate the information and distinguish between major and minor dyes, facilitates a clear attribution of the dyes and biological source/sources used. Other techniques, such as X-ray spectroscopy and FTIR-ATR were successfully used to identify inorganic dyes, which may not be detected by LC-DAD-MS, as was the case of Prussian blue. A large number of biological sources was identified in the studied objects, both local and imported. The local sources identified include dyer's broom (Genista tinctoria L.), sawwort (Serratula tinctoria L.), young fustic (Cotinus coggygria Scop.), Rhamnus berries, emodin based dyes (Rhamnus, Rheum, Rumex sp.) and woad (Isatis tinctoria L.), in perfect correlation with literature which states that local dyes were still in use in the period under discussion. Carminic acid containing insects (Dactylopius coccus Costa and Porphyrophora sp.) and redwood type Caesalpinia species should be considered a result of trade. Almost all the natural and synthetic dyes detected are frequently mentioned in a collection of recipes published by the Romanian Academy, in 1914. The richness in colours in belts, the use of insect dyes in shirts decoration and the large amount of cotton in shirts are illustrative for the owners' status. The study provides a better valorisation of the Romanian traditional costume as witness of the rural society at the end of the nineteenth to beginning of the twentieth century and emphasizes the usefulness of chemistry in cultural heritage dedicated applications.

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“…Soluble redwood (Caesalpinia species), with brazilin as main dye molecule, was identified in five samples, based on the detection of urolithine C, a marker compound of any soluble redwood such as sappan-or brazilwood [40]. Redwoods were used to economise on the expensive madder [19, pp.…”

Section: Soluble Redwood (Sappan-or Brazilwood)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Material analysis versus historical dye recipes: ingredients found in black dyed wool from five Belgian archives (1650-1850)

et al. 2019

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The relationship between bibliographic and archival research, on the one hand, and object-based study, on the other, forms a very important basis for research into historical production techniques. Several written sources provide insight into the recipes for dyeing black in the past. Yet, this does not guarantee that these written recipes are representative of an entire society or were used in the dyers practice. The way to assess how closely practical dyeing and written sources are aligned entail the chemical analysis of historical textiles. This article focuses on the identification of the ingredients used to dye wool black in the case of well-preserved and dated (1650-1850) historical textiles from five Belgian archives and some remaining historical artefacts. The results are compared with the technical knowledge of dyeing and the ingredients mentioned in written sources from the same period. The aim is to refine the knowledge of the different black dye ingredients used in practice in Northwest Europe during the period. Resumo A relação entre a investigação bibliográfica e arquivística e a investigação baseada em objectos históricos constitui um ponto de partida fundamental para o estudo de antigas técnicas de produção. Várias fontes documentais dão uma imagem de como se tingia de preto no passado. Contudo, nada garante que estas receitas sejam representativas de uma sociedade no seu todo ou que fossem praticadas pelos próprios tintureiros. A análise química de têxteis históricos constitui um método eficaz para verificar a proximidade entre práticas de tingimento e fontes documentais. Este artigo foca-se na identificação dos ingredientes usados no tingimento de lã com cor preta num conjunto de têxteis históricos datados (1650-1850) e em excelente estado de conservação de cinco arquivos belgas e noutros objectos históricos. Os resultados são comparados com o saber tecnológico associado aos métodos de tingimento e aos ingredientes descritos segundo as fontes documentais da época. O objectivo é o de afinar o conhecimento sobre os ingredientes usados no tingimento de preto no noroeste da Europa durante o período em questão.

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Historical mystery solved: a multi-analytical approach to the identification of a key marker for the historical use of brazilwood (Caesalpinia spp.) in paintings and textiles

Abstract: Brazilwood-derived pigments and dyes are found in many historical objects, from European paintings to North American First Nations textiles.

Cited by 25 publications

References 16 publications

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Approach for Characterization of Red, Blue, and Purple Natural Dyes

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Approach for Characterization of Red, Blue, and Purple Natural Dyes

Dyes and biological sources in nineteenth to twentieth century ethnographic textiles from Transylvania, Romania

Material analysis versus historical dye recipes: ingredients found in black dyed wool from five Belgian archives (1650-1850)

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