Macroscale multimodal imaging reveals ancient painting production technology and the vogue in Greco-Roman Egypt

Delaney, John K.; Dooley, Kathryn A.; Radpour, Roxanne; Kakoulli, Ioanna

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-15743-5

Cited by 54 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…To look for any direct evidence of the presence of a red lake pigment in the Girl's skin, molecular FIS was employed. In other studies, FIS has been used to identify and map madder lake in an encaustic painting [14], and site-specific fluorescence spectroscopy has been used to identify carmine lake [15]. Here, the FIS analysis was done using one of two excitation sources to induce the fluorescence emission.…”

Section: Skin and Lipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the pigment distribution of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

et al. 2020

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As part of the 2018 Girl in the Spotlight project, reflectance and molecular fluorescence imaging spectroscopy (RIS, FIS), and macroscale X-ray fluorescence scanning (MA-XRF) were performed on Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665, Mauritshuis) with the goal of obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of pigments. Prior analysis of cross-sections in the 1990s, and their recent (re)-examination identified many of the pigments present in the painting. The results from all three imaging methods, along with site-specific fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy, confirmed Vermeer's limited palette and determined how and where each pigment was used. RIS and MA-XRF found the blue region of the headscarf was painted with natural ultramarine and varying amounts of lead white. The yellow part of the headscarf was painted with yellow ochre and lead white, and the border of the headscarf additionally contained ultramarine and lead-tin yellow. The lit side of the jacket was painted with yellow ochre, lead white, and ultramarine, whereas the darker, ruddy blue-green areas that are in relative shadow contained yellow ochre with ultramarine. FIS also mapped a red lake in portions of the shadowed areas at the back of the jacket. The Girl's skin was painted using earths (ochres), lead white, vermilion, and some red lake. Fluorescence emission from red lake was strongest in the lips, where vermilion was also found. The pearl earring was depicted using a scumble and highlight of lead white. In the dark background, the RIS data cube allowed the determination of the visible spectral shape even though the overall reflectance intensity was low (1 to 3%). A reflectance inflection point at ~ 700 nm indicated the presence of indigo, whereas lack of a reflectance peak at green wavelengths in most areas indicated degradation of the yellow pigment previously identified as weld. Some small green areas in the background (i.e. reflectance maximum at 525 nm) were found; these coincided with areas previously protected by old retouchings, and are thus better preserved. The combination of all three spectral imaging modalities provided a more complete understanding of how the colouration of the painting was achieved.

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Section: Skin and Lipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the pigment distribution of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

et al. 2020

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“…Pigment identification allows for an understanding of how artists/workshops used their materials, how painted surfaces may chemically change over time, and, lastly, how anachronistic uses of materials can be associated with either fakes/forgeries or past restorations. A primary tool for these tasks is hyperspectral imaging (HSI), a fast non‐invasive and in situ method that has become commonplace in cultural heritage to document the distribution of pigments across painted surfaces, especially when employed together with complementary analytical techniques …”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Nonlinear Unmixing of Hyperspectral Datasets for the Study of Painted Works of Art

et al. 2018

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Nonlinear unmixing of hyperspectral reflectance data is one of the key problems in quantitative imaging of painted works of art. The approach presented is to interrogate a hyperspectral image cube by first decomposing it into a set of reflectance curves representing pure basis pigments and second to estimate the scattering and absorption coefficients of each pigment in a given pixel to produce estimates of the component fractions. This two‐step algorithm uses a deep neural network to qualitatively identify the constituent pigments in any unknown spectrum and, based on the pigment(s) present and Kubelka–Munk theory to estimate the pigment concentration on a per‐pixel basis. Using hyperspectral data acquired on a set of mock‐up paintings and a well‐characterized illuminated folio from the 15th century, the performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated for pigment recognition and quantitative estimation of concentration.

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“…Spectroscopic and separation techniques such as Raman, FTIR and GC-MS are well established in the investigation of heritage materials [6,7] including in the analysis of panel paintings [8,9], while Delaney et al explored the used hyperspectral imaging and imaging spectroscopy [10]. In a study of an Italian early renaissance panel painting, a combination of different molecular and elemental spectroscopic imaging methods was shown to provide insight into artistic materials, pigment distribution and underdrawings [11], while hyperspectral imaging and other spectroscopic techniques were used for another similar object [12], where mapping of wax and other organic materials is described and discussed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Material characterisation of a painted beehive panel by hyperspectral imaging in combination with advanced spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques

Retko

Kavčič

Legan

et al. 2020

Preprint

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In this study, a painted beehive panel from the collection of Slovene Ethnographic Museum was examined with respect to its material composition with the aim to reveal the painting technique. Due to the state of degradation due to outdoor weathering (UV irradiation, rainfall, extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations), as well as past conservation interventions, the object represented a complex analytical challenge. We aimed for non-invasive techniques (FTIR in reflection mode, Raman spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging in the range of 400 to 2500 nm), however in order to explore paint layers, cross-sections were also analysed using Raman spectroscopy. FTIR spectroscopy in transmission mode and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry were also used on sample fragments. Various original materials were identified such as pigments and binders. The surface coating applied during restoration interventions was also characterised. Additionally, organic compounds (oxalate, carboxylate), representing transformation products, were found. The potential use of Prussian blue as a background paint layer is discussed.

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Macroscale multimodal imaging reveals ancient painting production technology and the vogue in Greco-Roman Egypt

Cited by 54 publications

References 43 publications

Mapping the pigment distribution of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

Mapping the pigment distribution of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

Nonlinear Unmixing of Hyperspectral Datasets for the Study of Painted Works of Art

Material characterisation of a painted beehive panel by hyperspectral imaging in combination with advanced spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques

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