Art & Culture

Art analysis is a fundamental requirement for the preservation, restoration and treatment procedures in the conservation of modern and contemporary art.

HORIBA Raman and fluorescence solutions are used in museums and historical sites to support authentication and investigation of the effects of ageing and provide identification of pigments, binders, polymers and additives that might be found in paints.

HORIBA’s pH and conductivity meters are also used to test acrylic paint surfaces and to formulate customised aqueous cleaning solutions.

Interest of the Month

The non destructive and in-situ analysis of pigments.

The natural scientific identification of pigments has some problems because of their insolubility in common solvents. Especially when one deals with examinations of evry small sample amounts or wishes to perform non-destructive analysis, e.g. in forensic laboratories or analysis of art paintings.

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Applications

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Non-destructive large area elemental map imaging on the painting “Flower Vase with Thistles” using the XGT-9000SL
Pigments are important clues to the historical background of artworks. This application note introduces elemental map imaging performed on Vincent van Gogh’s oil painting “Flower Vase with Thistles” using the XGT-9000SL. The results reveal that elemental compositions of the pigments used on the painting were different from ones previously reported to have been used by van Gogh. It suggests that this painting was a replica of the artwork.
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Pigment identification of an old Japanese flag “Hinomaru” using micro-XRF and Raman microscopy
This application note introduces pigment identification using micro-XRF and Raman microscopy on a Japanese flag “Hinomaru”, which is presumed to be the oldest and designed by an ancient Japanese Emperor Go-Daigo. The two spectroscopic analyses identified that the red pigment used on the flag matched the cinnabar ore (Mercury(II) sulfide) mined from the Mine near the place where the Emperor lived.
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pH and Conductivity for Testing Acrylic Paint Films and Paper Supports and Formulating Aqueous Cleaning Solutions
New aqueous cleaning system for acrylic paint films on paper supports has been developed. Isotonic aqueous cleaning solutions that match the pH and conductivity readings of acrylic paint films and paper supports obtained from agarose gel pellets have been shown to be effective in reducing or removing dirt, dust, active mold growth and associated stains, tide line stains, and discoloration.
open
Non-destructive large area elemental map imaging on the painting “Flower Vase with Thistles” using the XGT-9000SL
Pigments are important clues to the historical background of artworks. This application note introduces elemental map imaging performed on Vincent van Gogh’s oil painting “Flower Vase with Thistles” using the XGT-9000SL. The results reveal that elemental compositions of the pigments used on the painting were different from ones previously reported to have been used by van Gogh. It suggests that this painting was a replica of the artwork.

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