The Art of Everyday Objects: A Non-Invasive In Situ Investigation of Materials and Techniques of Italian Pop Art Paintings on Aluminium

Margherita Longoni,Silvia Bruni,Norma Cicala,Gianluca Poldi,Vittoria Guglielmi

doi:10.3390/heritage5010003

Margherita Longoni, Silvia Bruni + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5010003

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Journal: Heritage	Publication Date: Dec 23, 2021
Citations: 3	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Milan, University of Bergamo

Abstract

Two paintings, made on aluminium support by Silvio Pasotti (among the major exponents of 1960s Italian pop art) were investigated in a totally non-invasive manner to identify the materials used by the artist. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), visible reflectance spectroscopy, and spectrofluorimetry with visible excitation were exploited as molecular analysis techniques, which are particularly suitable to recognise also synthetic organic materials, such as pigments and binders. The effectiveness of this multi-analytical approach was demonstrated, leading to the identification of several synthetic organic pigments, both conventional and “special effect” ones, introduced during the first half of the 20th century, as well as some well-established inorganic ones. Combining FTIR results both in the medium and near IR ranges, considerations regarding the binders employed by the artist could also be made, suggesting the use of both nitrocellulose and acrylic paints. Imaging techniques, such as IR reflectography, false colour IR, UV induced fluorescence, and portable microscopy, were also used to achieve a better knowledge of the painting practice.

Highlights

The need for a scientific non-invasive approach to the identification of materials and techniques is well established for paintings of any period in the history of art.when artworks dating to the 1950s and 1960s are considered, this task is even more challenging due to the fast evolution of synthetic materials in that period and in the immediately previous decades of the 20th century.As regards synthetic binders, acrylic resins had been developed, while nitrocellulose paints were still used by important artists such as Jackson Pollock in the early1950s and Richard Hamilton in the second half of the same decade and in the 1960s [1]
Acrylic resins had been developed, while nitrocellulose paints were still used by important artists such as Jackson Pollock in the early
As for the pictorial technique, both works examined are painted on aluminium panels

Summary

Introduction

The need for a scientific non-invasive approach to the identification of materials and techniques is well established for paintings of any period in the history of art.when artworks dating to the 1950s and 1960s are considered, this task is even more challenging due to the fast evolution of synthetic materials in that period and in the immediately previous decades of the 20th century.As regards synthetic binders, acrylic resins had been developed, while nitrocellulose paints were still used by important artists such as Jackson Pollock in the early1950s and Richard Hamilton in the second half of the same decade and in the 1960s [1]. The need for a scientific non-invasive approach to the identification of materials and techniques is well established for paintings of any period in the history of art. When artworks dating to the 1950s and 1960s are considered, this task is even more challenging due to the fast evolution of synthetic materials in that period and in the immediately previous decades of the 20th century. In the artistic panorama of those years, the Pop Art movement was innovative for the choice of themes, the use of objects (or their parts) taken from everyday life, the mixing of expressive techniques and, the exploitation of newly available or unconventional painting materials. The well-known use of fluorescent pigments by the leader of the Pop Art Andy Warhol could be cited among others

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