Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of an Early 20th Century English Painted Organ Case by Temple Moore

Abstract

An organ case from Lincoln, England, designed by the architect Temple Moore in 1907 was examined during conservation work using Raman spectroscopy in order to analyze the decorative paint composition. Samples from the six principal colours were extracted and examined using a Bruker Senterra R200-L spectrometer. The results are the first known formal analysis of a painted scheme by this architect, and they reveal a mixture of commonly used pigments for the period and the unexpected use of simpler, earth pigments, along with an unusual admixture in the red, along with an organic additive. The findings are of importance to both the conservation of Temple Moore’s artwork, in understanding the experimentation used in early twentieth-century England, and in furthering our knowledge of ecclesiastical decorative artwork of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

A Comprehensive and Systematic Diagnostic Campaign for a New Acquisition of Contemporary Art—The Case of Natura Morta by Andreina Rosa (1924–2019) at the International Gallery of Modern Art Ca’ Pesaro, Venice

“…The FORS spectrum obtained for Yellow 7 exhibited a good correspondence with a mixture of chrome yellow and zinc white in linseed oil (see Figure A3 in Appendix D). Such results were supported by Raman spectroscopy measurements as characteristic peaks of chrome yellow could be detected: the CrO 4 − stretching at 848 cm −1 and the Cr-O bending modes at 378, 358, 340, and 326 cm −1 [42,77,85]. The imperfect match in signal position and curve trend of the obtained spectrum with the ones reported in the literature may be ascribed to a slightly different crystal structure or formulation of the pigment [65] or the occurrence of some degradation phenomena involving the coloring agent based on the reduction of Cr VI to Cr III [66,85].…”

“…The two intense and broad peaks registered in the same spectra at 1604 and 1306 cm −1 are ascribable to the black pigment used in the mixture for obtaining the final dark greyish hue. This consists probably of a carbon-based pigment, for which the former signal constitutes the so-called G band, and the latter the D band [77][78][79][80][81][82][83]. Moreover, a shoulder at ca.…”

The combined use of SEM-EDX, Raman, ATR-FTIR and visible reflectance techniques for the characterisation of Roman wall painting pigments from Monte d’Oro area (Rome): an insight into red, yellow and pink shades

“…Hydroxyapatite is the main component of bones, and this finding agrees to the presence of another white pigment, namely bone white, used as an extender together or in place of calcite. Bone white, whose chemical formula is Ca 3 (PO4) 2 , is a greysh-white material that has been utilised since antiquity and can be obtained by burning and calcination of animal bones at high temperature (Rapp 2002;Brooke et al 2020).…”

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of a Mid-19th Century Reredos by Sir George Gilbert Scott

“…Although similar objects have been examined and their artistic merits discussed in considerable detail, they generally lack scientific analysis of the pigments employed [9]. The authors have previously examined several objects that fall into this category, and the work presented here represents a further case study in understanding pigment use in this context and period [10,11]. In this study, a reredos created by the well-established Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott (known as Sir Gilbert Scott) has been examined and the composition of the paint used for surface decoration has been determined using Raman spectroscopy.…”