Pigment identification using x‐ray fluorescence in a polychromated sculpture by Pedro Millán

Abstract

Pedro Millán is considered one of the more important Andalusian sculptors from the medieval period. He worked mainly in Seville, where he is documented between 1485 and 1507. Most of his sculptures were made of terracotta and then polychromated and gilded. Some of his works exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville are characterised by relatively well‐preserved polychromation. His sculpture Christ Man of Sorrows (1485–1503) was selected for the non‐destructive x‐ray fluorescence examination. Using this technique, pigments and support were analysed. The predominant elements, Ca and Fe, and a lesser presence of other elements, such as Mg, Si and Mn, demonstrate that the sculpture is indeed of terracotta. A high presence of Pb was detected in all the selected areas, related in part to the preparation/imprimation layer, and in part to a Pb‐based compound used as a pigment or as a dryer. The analysis shows that the red colour is cinnabar (Hg). The blue pigment is azurite (Cu), possibly mixed with vivianite (Fe). The green colour was made using a copper‐based pigment. The brown colour is an earth pigment, probably toasted umbra (Mn, Fe). In particular parts of the sculpture, gold was confirmed for decorative elements. Traces of silver were found in parts of the sculpture, but we do not have a clear answer to account for its presence yet. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Non-invasive approach in the study of polychrome terracotta sculptures: employment of the portable XRF to investigate complex stratigraphy

“…2). In both cases, Fe peak can be due to the terracotta, to the pigments used in the stratigraphy or, in the case (a), to the gilding preparation layer 24. The provenance of iron cannot be inferred by XRF analysis.…”

“…The non‐invasive approach to the study of terracotta decorated by cold finishing has been adopted by Križnar et al 24 using portable XRF on a sculpture by Pedro Millán ‘Christ man of sorrow’ made in polychrome terracotta, preserved in a museum. The paper highlighted that the use of the only portable XRF cannot resolve issues of particular interest, as the distinction of compounds lead (lead white, yellow litharge or red lead) and their use (preparation/priming layer, pigment or dryer), or as in the case of copper‐based pigments.…”

Atomic spectrometry update. X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry

“…The use of micro-based SR techniques (XRF, XAS, XRD) with m-FTIR were explored by Cotte et al 97 with a view to the restoration and conservation of ancient paintings with a particular emphasis on understanding ancient artistic practices (as in the use of pigments and binders in Bamiyan Buddhist mural paintings) and the preservation of works of art (as in the blackening of cinnabar in medieval Spanish paintings). Identification of the pigment palette used in Etruscan painting using Raman and EDXRF was of interest to Sodo et al, 288 and pigment identification, usually using a combination of techniques including XRF was the subject of a number of other studies of Gothic paintings, 289 Medieval sculpture, 290 18 th century frescos, 291 19 th and 20 th century paintings and the Armorer's Shop paintings in North Carolina Museum of Art. 292 About one third of Van Gogh's paintings are thought to re-use a canvas of an abandoned Van Gogh painting and Dik et al 293 used SRXRF mapping to reveal for the first time the woman's head that is hidden under the work 'Patch of Grass'.…”

Imaging Mass Spectrometry with a Low‐Temperature Plasma Probe for the Analysis of Works of Art

“…Advanced analytical techniques are essential for the understanding, restoration, conservation, dating, and authentication of paintings. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Several X-ray-based spectroscopic techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), [7][8][9] X-ray diffraction (XRD), [10,11] and proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) [12,13] are attracting great interest. The limitations of these techniques are that they can provide little structural information and that they are not sufficient to allow precise identification of chemical compounds contained in paintings.…”