Historical Mineral Pigments, Volume II

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystallography and Physical Chemistry of Minerals & Nanominerals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2024) | Viewed by 6358

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Environment, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Interests: cultural heritage; cleaning; consolidation; water-repelling; tempera paints; non-invasive techniques
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, a great body of scientific articles has emerged in specialized literature addressing the chemical–mineralogical composition, and morphological and physical characterization of natural and (premodern) synthetic historical mineral pigments. These include metallic pigments and clay-based pigments, embedded in artistic paintings, glass, painted enamel, ceramics, textiles, beads, etc. Often, these studies are performed by interdisciplinary research teams with crucial contributions by experts from the areas of mineralogy, crystallography, and geochemistry to correctly address questions arising with regard to pigment source, pigment manufacturing process, interactions between pigments, and weathering mechanisms or lightfastness, among other inquiries, since formation and transformation of mineral phases are processes involved in the research. Such investigations will provide essential clues to unravel pigment technological achievements, dating, trade routes, or pigment fingerprints for author/region adscriptions, as well as offering information to optimize conservation and/or restoration strategies of painted or colored artworks.

However, more light needs to be shed on specific issues. Particularly in historic paintings, in-depth studies are required to focus on pigment–(organic) binder interaction under diverse exposure scenarios; (urban and marine) air pollution-induced weathering; mitigation protocols so as to retard the photodegradation of pigments contained in paintings; biodeterioration due to microorganisms or insect debris, as well as the impact of airborne organic particles; pigment susceptibility to weathering considering its morphology, associated impurities, and particle size, with special attention to the presence of nanoparticles; detailed characterization of carbon-, clay- and earth-pigments; radiation damage during analysis; effects of surface cleaning and protection treatments; and application of novel analytical methodologies based on hyphenated techniques that offer remarkable advantages in the analysis of complex paintings (hybrid composite materials). All of these topics are welcome to be tackled in this Special Issue.

Dr. Santiago Pozo-Antonio
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • heritage science
  • mineral pigments
  • characterization
  • physical–chemical degradation
  • biodeterioration
  • protection treatments
  • hyphenated analytical techniques
  • chemometrics

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 9742 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Analytical Approach for the Characterization of Painting Materials and Metal Soap Formation in Two Artworks by the Argentinian Painter Antonio Berni
by Astrid C. Blanco Guerrero, Isabel Alcántara Millán, Valeria P. Careaga, Gabriela Siracusano and Marta S. Maier
Minerals 2023, 13(7), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13070919 - 8 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1269
Abstract
This work describes the characterization of pigments and ground layers in two paintings by the renowned Argentinian painter Antonio Berni (1905–1981). The studied paintings are “Toledo” and “Figure” from the collection of the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe (Argentina). To [...] Read more.
This work describes the characterization of pigments and ground layers in two paintings by the renowned Argentinian painter Antonio Berni (1905–1981). The studied paintings are “Toledo” and “Figure” from the collection of the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe (Argentina). To approach this goal, an integrated investigation comprising in situ X-ray fluorescence measurements by means of a portable system (pXRF), micro-Raman spectroscopy, Attenuated Total Reflection–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) was carried out. The results revealed a chromatic palette with inorganic pigments, such as ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, lead white, zinc white, yellow cadmium, and hydrated chromium oxide (viridian), together with a preparation layer consisting of a mixture of earth, lead white, and calcite in “Toledo”. On the other hand, the preparation layer in “Figure” was characterized as lithopone, a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide. ATR-FTIR-analysis revealed the formation of metallic soaps in both paintings due to the reaction of fatty acids from a drying oil used as a binder with lead and zinc pigments, as confirmed by comparison with the infrared spectra of synthetic lead and zinc soaps. This study contributes to the understanding of Berni’s painting style and the future restoration of both artworks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Mineral Pigments, Volume II)
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26 pages, 28570 KiB  
Article
A Case Study of Renaissance Wall Paintings in Granada (Spain): Historical–Artistic Analysis, Materials Characterization, and State of Conservation
by Daniel Jiménez-Desmond, Anna Arizzi and Carolina Cardell
Minerals 2023, 13(7), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13070854 - 23 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1835
Abstract
The research carried out on the wall paintings of Hernán Pérez del Pulgar’s Palace chapel in Granada (Spain) was aimed at determining its historical–artistic, stylistic, technical, and compositional aspects. For this, a 16th century frieze and an 18th century pendentive were studied. The [...] Read more.
The research carried out on the wall paintings of Hernán Pérez del Pulgar’s Palace chapel in Granada (Spain) was aimed at determining its historical–artistic, stylistic, technical, and compositional aspects. For this, a 16th century frieze and an 18th century pendentive were studied. The mineralogical, chemical, and textural characterization of the constituent materials and the study of the state of conservation of the paintings have helped to determine the pictorial technique used, identify the nature of the salts present in the paintings, and other pathologies including a dormant fungal attack. To this end, optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis (FESEM-EDS), and micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) were used. The information obtained helps clarify important aspects of the painting technique used, laying a basis to ensure effective and suitable conservation and restoration measures on the paintings that will ensure their durability over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Mineral Pigments, Volume II)
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24 pages, 4915 KiB  
Article
SO2-Induced Aging of Hematite- and Cinnabar-Based Tempera Paint Mock-Ups: Influence of Binder Type/Pigment Size and Composition
by José Santiago Pozo-Antonio, Daniel Jiménez-Desmond, Lara De Villalobos, Ana Mato, Amélia Dionísio, Teresa Rivas and Carolina Cardell
Minerals 2023, 13(2), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13020289 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2356
Abstract
Hematite- and cinnabar-based paint mock-ups prepared with either rabbit glue or egg yolk binder were artificially aged in an SO2-rich atmosphere, as a model system for investigating the deterioration of tempera paints exposed to an industrial atmosphere. The overall research aim [...] Read more.
Hematite- and cinnabar-based paint mock-ups prepared with either rabbit glue or egg yolk binder were artificially aged in an SO2-rich atmosphere, as a model system for investigating the deterioration of tempera paints exposed to an industrial atmosphere. The overall research aim was to identify the type of degradation occurring in tempera paints and the different alteration mechanisms related to the physical, mineralogical and chemical characteristics of the paint. Tempera mock-ups were prepared by mixing binder (egg yolk or rabbit glue) and pigment (cinnabar of different particle sizes or hematite) and were then exposed to SO2 for 2 months in accelerated aging tests. The colour, gloss, reflectance, roughness and micro-texture of the surfaces of the mock-ups were determined before and after the tests. In addition, chemical and mineralogical changes were determined by X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis. Colorimetric changes were confirmed, mainly in the cinnabar-based paints containing egg yolk, and in the hematite-based paints containing rabbit glue. Neoformed mineral phases have not been detected by XRPD, but precipitation of gypsum on the exposed surfaces has been confirmed by SEM. For cinnabar-based paints, the amount of sulfate-rich deposits was higher on egg yolk mock-ups than on rabbit glue samples, though the opposite was observed for the hematite-based paints. This confirmed the influence of the binder composition and pigment-binder tandem in the susceptibility to SO2 deposition. Pigment particle size did not have a clear influence on the physical and chemical changes in the tempera mock-ups during the ageing tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Mineral Pigments, Volume II)
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