Spectroscopic analysis of pigments and inks in manuscripts: I. Byzantine and post-Byzantine manuscripts (10–18th century)

Nastova, Irena; Grupče, Orhideja; Minčeva-Šukarova, Biljana; Özçatal, Melih; Mojsoska, Lenče

doi:10.1016/j.vibspec.2013.05.006

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Orpiment and realgar exist as minerals, as well as synthetic pigments [175], and of the two arsenic sulphide pigments, the first one is the most stable. Realgar, being unstable, was less often reported in works of art [1,[176][177][178][179]. It has a polymorphic photodegradation product, pararealgar As 4 S 4 .…”

Section: Arsenic (Z = 33)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Permanence of orpiment to light was known to be poor, although some intact paint layers could be found on some illuminated manuscripts [176,178,179]. Coarser grain size seem to retard the colour change [30].…”

Section: Orpiment (As 2 S 3 Yellow)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of the binder on realgar's stability is not completely understood, yet it could protect the pigment from discolouration [177]. Seen that the photodegradation of realgar yields a yellow material, which was long thought to be orpiment, but was finally identified as pararealgar [171], one might question the identification of orpiment in museum objects [177], as well as consider the possibility of pararealgar as a pigment [106,173,178,[190][191][192].…”

Section: Realgar and Pararealgar (As 4 S 4 Reddish Orange)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

2017

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This review is to be considered part of the development of the MEMORI dosimeter, to evaluate the impact of climate (relative humidity, temperature, illumination, etc., including volatile organic compounds) on moveable objects. In the framework of the MEMORI project, Ghent University was given the task to assess pigment degradation upon acetic acid exposure, and to collect information on pigments' stability. Moreover, to obtain a wider knowledge on the stability of common pigments, the effect of a variety of parameters was reviewed from literature. Discolouration and degradation of pigments significantly alter the legibility of polychrome works of art, so that the development of monitoring methods to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage objects is of primary importance.

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Section: Arsenic (Z = 33)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Orpiment (As 2 S 3 Yellow)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Realgar and Pararealgar (As 4 S 4 Reddish Orange)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

2017

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“…In most of the cases, silver colours present dramatic blackening, but in some manuscripts, the metal brightness is still present. Although the application of silver leaf in illuminated manuscripts has been referred by several authors [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25], the study of silver degradation in the cultural heritage field has been mainly associated with metal artefacts, jewellery or composite objects such as altarpieces, polychrome and gilded objects, silver threads in textile, daguerreotype photos and silverpoint drawings [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Despite its importance for cultural heritage preservation, there is little consensus on the literature regarding silver degradation mechanisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silver paints in medieval manuscripts: a first molecular survey into their degradation

et al. 2018

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The lack of comprehensive studies on silver paints in manuscripts is a handicap to new stabilization strategies and treatments. This work develops and tests a methodological approach for the study of the degradation of silver paints, at the molecular level, using as a case study a French Book of Hours dated from the 15th century from Mafra National Palace collection. In this paper, we show that the global equation commonly used by the cultural heritage community to describe the tarnishing of silver proves to be insufficient to understand the main factor causing its severe and extensive darkening in medieval illuminated manuscripts. This equation depicts the degradation of silver instantly with a sulphide containing species as H 2 S. Recent research has solidly proved that the first intermediate of silver oxidation is Ag 2 O. This theme will be presented in a forthcoming review. Within this framework, we selected four typologies of silver paints, all analysed by in situ techniques and four as microsamples; due to the very small size and fragility of the microsamples, new methods of sample preparation were developed and tested. The main research questions include: (1) understanding how silver-based colour are formed, disclosing its full stratigraphy; (2) define if the other compounds present, such as colour paints and the ground, may affect silver oxidation by stabilizing or accelerating it; (3) comprehend if it is possible to characterize the degradation products of silver paints with the methodology developed in this work, both in the bulk and at the interfaces between layers. Overall our results show that silver-based colours exhibit a complex stratigraphy that impacts its conservation condition. Further research at the molecular level is required on the correlation of the main components of the ground (binder and filler such as gypsum and calcium carbonate) and the paints that are applied as layers over or under the silver leaf. Our case studies have shown that both in situ analytical techniques and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis in the microsamples, provide relevant information on the silver colour stratigraphy. However, the information obtained studying cross-sections is more accurate. We consider that the study of the degradation mechanism of silver in medieval illuminated manuscripts will require the combination of both approaches; in situ methodologies support the relevance of the data acquired on the microsamples. Microsamples studies will make possible the acquisition of data that is fundamental to understand the darkening of silver paints and this, in turn, is essential to develop informed and sustainable conservation policies.

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“…in the 16th or even the 18th century East-European manuscripts. [26,27] The history of As-based pigments use in non-European countries is not fully evidenced; highly degraded orpiment was identified, e.g. in the mid-19th century Ethiopian mural paintings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crocoite PbCrO₄ and mimetite Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl: rare minerals in highly degraded mediaeval murals in Northern Bohemia

Hradil

Hradilová

Bezdička

et al. 2014

J Raman Spectroscopy

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Mural paintings of exceptional quality, which can be discerned in spite of their extensive mechanical damage and colour fading, have been uncovered in the church of St. Gallus in Kuřívody, Northern Bohemia, dated to the second half of the 13th century. Materials research with particular use of portable X-ray fluorescence, Raman micro-spectroscopy and powder X-ray micro-diffraction revealed the presence of rare pigments. In Kuřívody, it is only a second identification of intentionally used yellow mineral crocoite (PbCrO 4 ) in European art. Its identification is facilitated by providing a very good Raman scattering, even when present in small amounts in fragmentarily preserved colour layers. Light yellow mimetite (Pb 5 (AsO 4 ) 3 Cl) was never before mentioned as intentionally used pigment in Europe. Its finding in Kuřívody, however, corresponds more likely with undesirable physical-chemical conditions causing its formation by alteration of orpiment (As 2 S 3 ) and minium (Pb 3 O 4 ). Obtained results highlight the importance of Raman spectroscopy for direct identification of mineral pigments in low concentrations, which may be crucial for interpreting cultural heritage objects in historical context. By materials, the almost forgotten paintings in Kuřívody can be seen as outstanding and rare example of ancient artistic tradition that has spread to Europe from Mediterranean in early Middle Ages. After all, mineral crocoite was already used by ancient Egyptians to paint sarcophagi and degraded orpiment decorates the walls of the Nefertari's tomb in Thebes.

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Spectroscopic analysis of pigments and inks in manuscripts: I. Byzantine and post-Byzantine manuscripts (10–18th century)

Cited by 14 publications

References 20 publications

On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

Silver paints in medieval manuscripts: a first molecular survey into their degradation

Crocoite PbCrO₄ and mimetite Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl: rare minerals in highly degraded mediaeval murals in Northern Bohemia

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Spectroscopic analysis of pigments and inks in manuscripts: I. Byzantine and post-Byzantine manuscripts (10–18th century)

Cited by 14 publications

References 20 publications

On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: a literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments

Silver paints in medieval manuscripts: a first molecular survey into their degradation

Crocoite PbCrO4 and mimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl: rare minerals in highly degraded mediaeval murals in Northern Bohemia

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Product

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Crocoite PbCrO₄ and mimetite Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl: rare minerals in highly degraded mediaeval murals in Northern Bohemia