Painters Research Articles

Use of standard analytical tools to detect small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine as observed in 15th-century Venetian illuminated manuscripts

A previous preliminary study of 15th-century Venetian manuscript fragments by the Master of the Murano Gradual identified the presence of cobalt in many ultramarine blue areas, suggesting the presence of smalt. This would represent an early use of this glassy pigment in Venetian illuminated manuscripts. Whereas sampling has been used to identify smalt in 15th century paintings, only non-invasive methods can be used on manuscripts due to their small size and fragile nature. Here we investigated four non-invasive analysis techniques to identify small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine, including single-point and scanning XRF spectroscopy, UV–vis-NIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), Raman spectroscopy, and external reflection FT-IR spectroscopy. This was done by studying paint mock-ups of ultramarine and smalt mixtures with and without the presence of a white pigment on parchment. The results showed molecular spectroscopy techniques (reflectance, Raman, and FTIR) require at least ~ 30–40% smalt by percent mass when in the presence of ultramarine in order to detect its presence, whereas elemental XRF spectroscopy can detect cobalt (and thus infer the presence of smalt) at the ~ 1% level. To further explore the inference of smalt by XRF, additional XRF analysis was conducted to specifically look for elements associated with cobalt minerals (i.e. nickel, arsenic, bismuth, etc.). High spatial resolution XRF scanning (60–100 μm X-ray spot size) was used to look for cobalt in smalt particles which are typically larger than those of ultramarine. These two XRF analysis approaches worked well with the mock-up paint samples, and were subsequently applied to the manuscripts for which molecular spectroscopy methods yielded no unambiguous evidence for smalt. The data underscore the challenges of conclusively identifying smalt in complex paint systems when samples are not available, but do suggest that the Master of the Murano illuminated manuscript fragments contain smalt, but perhaps not in a form or amount researchers are used to seeing in paintings.

Deeper insights into the photoluminescence properties and (photo)chemical reactivity of cadmium red (CdS1\u2212xSex) paints in renowned twentieth century paintings by state-of-the-art investigations at multiple length scales

Cadmium red is the name used for denoting a class of twentieth century artists’ pigments described by the general formula CdS1−xSex. For their vibrant hues and excellent covering power, a number of renowned modern and contemporary painters, including Jackson Pollock, often used cadmium reds. As direct band gap semiconductors, CdS1−xSex compounds undergo direct radiative recombination (with emissions from the green to orange region) and radiative deactivation from intragap trapping states due to crystal defects, which give rise to two peculiar red-NIR emissions, known as deep level emissions (DLEs). The positions of the DLEs mainly depend on the Se content of CdS1−xSex; thus, photoluminescence and diffuse reflectance vis–NIR spectroscopy have been profitably used for the non-invasive identification of different cadmium red varieties in artworks over the last decade. Systematic knowledge is however currently lacking on what are the parameters related to intrinsic crystal defects of CdS1−xSex and environmental factors influencing the spectral properties of DLEs as well as on the overall (photo)chemical reactivity of cadmium reds in paint matrixes. Here, we present the application of a novel multi-length scale and multi-method approach to deepen insights into the photoluminescence properties and (photo)chemical reactivity of cadmium reds in oil paintings by combining both well established and new non-invasive/non-destructive analytical techniques, including macro-scale vis–NIR and vibrational spectroscopies and micro-/nano-scale advanced electron microscopy mapping and X-ray methods employing synchrotron radiation and conventional sources. Macro-scale vis–NIR spectroscopy data obtained from the in situ non-invasive analysis of nine masterpieces by Gerardo Dottori, Jackson Pollock and Nicolas de Staël allowed classifying the CdS1−xSex-paints in three groups, according to the relative intensity of the two DLE bands. These outcomes, combined with results from micro-/nano-scale electron microscopy mapping and X-ray analysis of a set of CdS1−xSex powders and artificially aged paint mock-ups, indicated that the relative intensity of DLEs is not affected by the morphology, microstructure and local atomic environment of the pigment particles but it is influenced by the presence of moisture. Furthermore, the extensive study of artificially aged oil paint mock-ups permitted us to provide first evidence of the tendency of cadmium reds toward photo-degradation and to establish that the conversion of CdS1−xSex to CdSO4 and/or oxalates is triggered by the oil binding medium and moisture level and depends on the Se content. Based on these findings, we could interpret the localized presence of CdSO4 and cadmium oxalate as alteration products of the original cadmium red paints in two paintings by Pollock.Graphical abstract

What Approach to Flemish Annunciations?

Through a series of case studies, this paper examines Flemish fifteenth and early sixteenth century paintings of the Annunciation in a domestic setting as an example of how the materiality and the spiritual dimension form two inseparable aspects of devotional practice. After questioning whether these paintings reflect contemporary interiors and practices of domestic devotion, the paper discusses their use as historical sources by addressing the domestic iconography of the Annunciation as a Flemish artistic tradition. It argues that it is necessary to consider these paintings as artworks to understand their primary role as devotional objects.

Distortion of Forms and Subjects in Paul Cezanne’s Paintings

Paul Cezanne is the 19th century painter born in France who was a very important figure in the history of modern art. He had painted so many paintings like landscapes, portraits and still life. The figures and forms in his artwork do resemble the real world but the distortion is the most significant feature. The subject matters reveal the changes and gives emphasis upon forms. Subjects lack likeness and negate imitation as art followed by predecessors. The flatness and geometric forms are amplified along with expression in the paintings. The formal distortion played a vital role to give birth to Modernism in 20th century Western Art. So, he is called “Father of Modern Art”.

Dinamica dintre portret și peisaj în secolul al XVIII-lea. Studiu de caz: Portret de Femeie de Johann Martin Stock

"The Second Half of the 18th Century Highlights a New Fashion in Painting, the Portrait in Landscape that Combines the Portrait and the Landscape. The long series of female portraits arouse admiration and are imitated all over Europe. The Transylvanian space joins the new artistic trend, and we owe some spectacular achievements in this field to one of the most famous painters of the genre, Johann Martin Stock. The National Museum of History of Transylvania shelters in its collections a compositional portrait signed by Johann Martin Stock, Portrait of a Woman, 1787, a remarkable success of the 18th century local painting. Keywords: portrait, rococo, landscape, 18th century painting, Johann Martin Stock. "

Time-dependent variation of lead isotopes of lead white in 17th century Dutch paintings.

This study investigates how lead isotopes in lead white pigment can be used as an additional diagnostic tool to constrain the production time of 17th century Dutch paintings. Analysis of 77 well-dated paintings from 27 different Dutch artists reveal significant change in the source of lead used in lead white at the start, middle, and end of the 17th century. Isotopic shifts are related to major historical and socioeconomical events such as the English Civil War and Anglo-Dutch-French conflicts. These observations offer the prospect that lead isotope analysis of lead white could aid attribution and authentication of Dutch 17th century paintings and provide insights into artists’ international travels as well as lead production and trading.

Shedding Light on Functional Hybrid Nanocomposites 19th Century Paint Medium

AbstractBritish 19th century painters formulated gelled systems often described as ideal paint mediums. These so‐called megilps or gumtions are based on common paint materials like linseed oil, lead acetate, and mastic resin, and allowed painters such as J.M.W Turner to improve their paint's properties and achieve unprecedented effects in an age of innovation. To propose a structural scheme of these hybrid systems of unprecedented complexity, it is paramount to design and study model systems using a broad combination of advanced spectroscopic techniques and microscopies. Through this approach, gel Mediums can be described as nanocomposites based on lead metallogels co‐existing with lead oxide nanoparticles and a partially polymerized fraction. These functional hybrid materials created a real breakthrough on 19th century paints performances.

Development of a GC–MS strategy for the determination of cross-linked proteins in 20th century paint tubes

In this paper we present the technical study of protein-drying oil mixtures in the paint formulation of original manufacturers paint tubes from Fabbrica di colori per Belle Arti Maimeri dating back to the 1950s. The study is part of a wider research project aimed at understanding the chemistry of protein-drying oil mixtures, and how the oil curing in the presence of proteins may affects the protein analysis with mass spectrometric based techniques.Tempera grassa, according to traditional Late Medieval and Renaissance painting techniques, entails the use, as paint binder, of a mixture of a drying oil with a water miscible medium, commonly egg. The paints analysed in this study were, according to technical documentation available at the manufacturer, based on a mixture of linseed oil, ovalbumin and mastic resin. All the components of the paints were detected but proteins proved very challenging. They could not be detected by pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, nor by using classical procedures for gas chromatography – mass spectrometry analysis of amino acids after hydrolysis. A new analytical procedure based on two subsequent hydrolysis steps assisted by microwaves was implemented and proved to be successful. The first step with trifluoroacetic acid was aimed at a partial hydrolysis of proteins into peptides, for their efficient extraction. The second with hydrochloric acid in the vapour phase was used for a complete hydrolysis of peptides into amino acids for the GC–MS analysis. Linking experimental results on the tempera grassa paints to data obtained on the curing of oil/protein mixtures in paint mock-ups, the hypothesis that copolymerisation of proteins and the oil has taken place is proposed, and a discussion on how this may affect protein detection is carried out.

Media Review: Sleep in Art: How Artists Portrayed Sleep and Dreams in the Last 7000 Years

Dr. Meir Kryger's Sleep in Art: How Artists Portrayed Sleep and Dreams in the Last 7000 Years, published in 2019, is a book likely to captivate the interests of those in sleep medicine. This book features hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and drawings by various artists. Artwork by Raphael, Henri Rousseau, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and Norman Rockwell are among the many found in this book. The intersection between the worlds of science, religion, and art are all explored as each artist expertly depicts the human enthrallment with sleep throughout time.Johal A, Stahl SM. Media Review: Sleep in Art: How Artists Portrayed Sleep and Dreams in the Last 7000 Years. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(12):2577.

Mongolian Wrestling (Bukh) during the Twelfth-Fourteenth Centuries

The historical development of Mongolian wrestling has been studied by numerous researchers. However, differing approaches to the predominant form of wrestling in the twelfth-fourteenth centuries (Mongol Empire) remain. According to historical sources, pre-twelfth and post-fourteenth century depictions and paintings, vertical wrestling was predominant among the Mongols in this period. Mongolian wrestling became a part of the state ceremonies of the Mongol Empire and developed rapidly, with wrestling uniforms made of silk and cloth. Also, the zodog’s skirt was open, the shuudag was shortened, and the shoes were longer. There is no evidence that women wrestled in Mongolian wrestling at other times in history, but Marco Polo notes that in the thirteenth century, the royal princess was a successful wrestler.

Soft like velvet and shiny like satin: Perceptual material signatures of fabrics depicted in 17th century paintings.

Dutch 17th century painters were masters in depicting materials and their properties in a convincing way. Here, we studied the perception of the material signatures and key image features of different depicted fabrics, like satin and velvet. We also tested whether the perception of fabrics depicted in paintings related to local or global cues, by cropping the stimuli. In Experiment 1, roughness, warmth, softness, heaviness, hairiness, and shininess were rated for the stimuli shown either full figure or cropped. In the full figure, all attributes except shininess were rated higher for velvet, whereas shininess was rated higher for satin. This distinction was less clear in the cropped condition, and some properties were perceived significantly different between the two conditions. In Experiment 2 we tested whether this difference was due to the choice of the cropped area. On the basis of the results of Experiment 1, shininess and softness were rated for multiple crops from each fabric. Most crops from the same fabric differed significantly in shininess, but not in softness perception. Perceived shininess correlated positively with the mean luminance of the crops and the highlights’ coverage. Experiment 1 showed that painted velvet and satin triggered distinct perceptions, indicative of robust material signatures of the two fabrics. The results of Experiment 2 suggest that the presence of local image cues affects the perception of optical properties like shininess, but not mechanical properties such as softness.

„Strach im większy, tym bardziej wiąże się z podziwem”. O przedstawieniach katastrof i kataklizmów w malarstwie XVIII i XIX wieku w kontekście estetyki wzniosłości i spektaklu.

The article develops the concept of disaster and calamity in the 18th and 19th century painting (since the beginning of modernism). The motif, which was particularly popular on the threshold of modernity, was depicted then without a religious or allegoric context and more often than not with reference to actual events that occurred in that period such as a shipwreck or fire. It is said that the key element characteristic for the presentation of disasters within painting was the discourse on the sublime which was related to fascination with the natural elements. The discourse was dominated by the British philosophy and aesthetics of the XVIII century and the reflection expressed by Immanuel Kant in his book Critique of Pure Reason. The aesthetics of spectacle, which was present in other areas of the culture those days, was essential for the 18th and 19th painting as it attached the pageantry and monumentality and led to thecommercial success. In the middle of the 19th century, when painting revealed the fascination with technology and industrial revolution, the concept of the sublime was transformed as well. In a way, the images of the industrial expansion which delighted the contemporary viewer might be interpreted today as a premonition of the disaster which is yet to come.

Allegory and Analogy in Menzel’s The Iron Rolling Mill

Abstract Adolph Menzel’s Das Eisenwalzwerk, or Moderne Cyklopen (The Iron Rolling Mill, or Modern Cyclopes) from 1875 depicts an analogy central to nineteenth- century thought, namely, that between the human motor and the combustion engine. The painting visualizes the differing rhythms of these two “machines” and the entropy produced as a result of that difference. The painting’s reflection on labor also elaborates an allegory of the activity of painting. Such an allegorical reading, motivated by particular attention to the objects placed in the painting’s foreground, entails a reevaluation of Menzel’s self-understanding and of the changing nature of allegory in nineteenth- century painting. In this instance, allegory operates not through identification but by means of analogy.

The Scholar’s study in Painting and the History of Collection in Dutch XVII century

his article is devoted to analysis the theme of the “scholar’s study” in Netherland XVII century painting. The reason for the rise of this theme is closely related to the great development of science and navigation in the XVII century in Netherland. Under the economic development, the tradition of collecting prevails among scholars. People admire knowledge and work on scientific inquiry. The author analyzes Gerrit Dou’s self-portrait The Artist’s studio and the symbolic meanings of objects in the painting. The author states that his self-portrait portrays himself as a scholar, reflecting the social ethos of worshiping knowledge. The specificity of his work, the themes of the scholar’s study, the influence of science, religion, philosophy on the painting of Gerrit Dou, the symbolic meanings of objects surrounding the scientist are considered. Jan van der Hayden’s paintings Still Life with a Globe, Books, Sculpture and Other Objects reflect the wide-ranging style of the collection at that time, reflecting both the worship of religion and the abundance of Netherland foreign products under the background of the great geographical discovery in the XVII century. During this period, establishment of Netherland universities and advent of the maritime age encouraged a thriving cartography producing. A large number of globes and scientific tools appeared in the paintings. They not only have religious meaning, but also show the progress of the new era. Audience can get a glimpse of the characteristics of a typical Netherland scholar’s collection from his paintings. The purpose of this article is to analyze the scientific progress, social development of the Netherlands. This allows you to take a fresh look at the assessment of creativity on the theme of the scholar’s study. To fulfill that purpose, need to complete following tasks: to characterize the specifics of paintings in the themes of the scholar’s study, to reveal the symbolism in the paintings The Artist’s studio by Gerrit Dou, Still Life with a Globe, Books, Sculpture and Other Objects and A Corner of a Room with Curiosities by Jan van der Hayden, to show the close connection between the development of science in the 17th century and the topic of the scientist’s office. The author concludes that the theme of the “scholar’s study” in Netherland XVII century paintings reflect the collection characteristics and aesthetics in the XVII century.

Рецепция французской живописи XVII–XVIII веков в «Искусственной принцессе» Рональда Фирбенка

Рецепция французской живописи XVII–XVIII веков в «Искусственной принцессе» Рональда Фирбенка

Geology of Marseilles to Italy high‐speed TGV railway line compared to HS2 in Britain

In a radical departure, SNCF, the French state railway company, launched a public consultation in 2016 about the route for the first of a series of piecemeal extensions to the proposed French high‐speed railway (ligne à grande vitesse) LGV network in Provence‐Alpes‐Côte d'Azur. A cheaper proposal to build an inland line, bypassing Marseilles and Toulon, met strong opposition as it would have traversed landscapes made famous by Cézanne's nineteenth century paintings. This alternative offered options for tunnelling under Marseilles, including an underground TGV station due for completion in 2033. Eventually heading eastwards, a line about 35 km long with a lengthy tunnel into the port city of Toulon will be built by around 2040 from Aubagne. Unlike Britain and problems building HS2 bypassing the West Coast railway mainline into London, France has well‐established relatively generous compensation procedures for anybody losing property due to new infrastructure schemes. Also, this SNCF budget is split into many portions, while HS2 has been hampered by poor geological knowledge of likely ground conditions along parts of the route resulting in massive cost overruns. Even after the Oakervee review into how to bring these cost overruns under control gave the green light for construction of HS2 to continue in February 2020, these underlying factors were hardly considered in this technical and economic report.

ИЛЛЮЗИЯ И РЕАЛЬНОСТЬ В ПОРТРЕТАХ ГЕОРГА ПЕНЦА

Georg Pencz’s picturesque portraits represent one of the brightest stages of development in the master’s work. In the 1540s, after his second Italian trip, the artist became the leading portrait painter of the Nuremberg nobility and turned to the type of monumental large-format portrait that included elements of genre painting. Pencz depicted the rich entourage surrounding a patron with the attention to nature inherent in German Renaissance art. It was a demonstration not only of the social status and affluence of his patron, but also of the artist’s skill. At the same time, the image was endowed with an inherent aesthetics of mannerism, in which notional and optical allusions, among other things, indicated the enlightenment and subtle taste of the portrayed individual. Illusion and reality combined to create a symbolic field, within which a picture should be interpreted. This trend continued into XVII century painting.

Contribution of Culture Industry and Social Change Efforts to Increase Employment Opportunities

This study examines the contribution of the cultural industry and social change to increase work opportunity competition in the Kutuh Village of Ubud Bali. The advancement of technology and information is very Fast causing all components of life to change both the values ??and culture of society with the rapid modernization in all fields causing changes in the economic, social and cultural, very dynamic lifestyle. The problem in this study: How is the contribution of the cultural industry and social change to increase employment opportunities competition in the Kutuh Village of Ubud Bali. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method, using proportional sampling techniques consisting of the community of artisans and painters in the Village of Kutuh Petulu, Ubud, Bali. The development of the cultural industry in the community of Kutuh Village can create jobs for future generations so that the Groos Domestic Product of Bali is increasing given the enormity of globalization. Globalization has the Dimension of Ideology and Technology. The ideology dimension, namely capitalism and free markets, while the technological dimension is information technology that has united the world.

Vers l’autonomisation des nuages : la voie picturale

The scientific age of clouds assumed the recognition of the existence of atmospheric electricity. It was nevertheless necessary to wait for Luke Howard in order for clouds to be not only observed but also named and classified (1802). What was the role played by painting in their scientific invention? Throughout the centuries very diverse points of view appeared concerning these paradoxical objects -the most dreamlike of all. Taken as cushions allowings for the distribution of space, as vehicles for pagan gods or of the unique God, as more or less transparent or opaque veils, clouds belong to the imaginary as well as to the phusis. However, Ruisdael already conceived the cloud as a personage. One can easily take his Buisson (Bush) (maladroitly titled) for a 19th century painting, individualizing the most labile appearance and giving it consistency even before any appellation

Restoration of an 18th century frame: 3D modelling, printing and matching color of decorative flowers elements

This paper describes the application of 3D digital technology to support the rebuild of lost decorative elements of an historical frame. The frame belongs to an 18th century painting depicting the portrait of D. José, Prince of Brazil, displayed at the National Palace of Queluz, Portugal. The application of digital technologies has been planned from the very beginning in order to avoid the traditional use of silicone in the reproduction of missing elements. The photogrammetric 3D acquisition, a non-contact methodology, has been used to reduce the manipulation and hence prevent further degradation of the artistic object. Following the 3D modelling operation, new decorative elements were made using an additive printing technology. In the final phase of the work, the post-printing treatment was carried out, in which aqueous products were used. 3D modelling, in addition to facilitate the restoration treatment of the historic frame, can also be useful in the creation of a digital collection of decorative frame elements, i.e. a virtual database.