EMF - Abstracts

Pigment Analysis in Paintings Conservation: Developing an Efficient Analytical Routine.

Kilian Anheuser (Cardiff University)

Pigment analysis is a standard procedure in the conservation of easel and wall paintings. In addition to providing technical information about the materials and techniques used by the artist it assists the conservator with his choice of treatment. For example, colours may have darkened through discolouration of a varnish or the accumulation of dirt which can be removed, or through chemical changes of pigments which cannot easily be treated. The analysis may also allow authentication of a painting or the identification of undocumented earlier conservation work (inpainting).

Many analytical techniques have been used in published work on pigment analysis, ranging from optical microscopy of unmounted fragments, thick or thin cross sections to sophisticated instrumental analysis. Whilst in case of exceptional objects a lot of time and resources can be devoted to the analysis it is more common for a conservation scientist to be confronted with large numbers of samples which must be analysed efficiently and returned within reasonable time. This paper discusses different approaches and explains the results that can be expected.