Scientists discover what causes color changes in Renaissance paintings - study
While light exposure was previously considered the primary factor behind color degradation, a recent study has identified humidity as a new culprit.
Tapestry "Christ's charge to Peter" designed by
Renaissance artist Raphael is on display on a lower wall of the Sistine
Chapel at the Vatican (photo credit: REUTERS)Art conservationists
and researchers have long been puzzled by the fading and color changes
observed in many Renaissance paintings, even when stored in dark rooms.
While light exposure was previously considered the primary factor behind
color degradation, a recent study has identified humidity as a new
culprit.
Scientists
from the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at the
Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, along with
researchers from the University of Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, and other
institutions, conducted a peer-reviewed study to explore this
phenomenon. These discoveries were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
The research team sought to understand the presence of a form of arsenic known as As(V) alongside a yellow arsenic sulfide pigment called orpiment.
Previous studies had shown that the conversion of these pigments to
As(V) could lead to color degradation, but the underlying causes
remained unclear.
To investigate the As(V) species, the researchers selected a sample from the 17th-century painting
"Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase" by Jan Davidson de Heem. The
yellow eglantine rose at the painting's center had been gradually fading
to white.
Mona Lisa painting (credit: PXHERE)
Art conservationists and researchers have long been puzzled by the fading and color changes observed in many Renaissance paintings, even when stored in dark rooms. While light exposure was previously considered the primary factor behind color degradation, a recent study has identified humidity as a new culprit.
Scientists from the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, along with researchers from the University of Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, and other institutions, conducted a peer-reviewed study to explore this phenomenon. These discoveries were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
The research team sought to understand the presence of a form of arsenic known as As(V) alongside a yellow arsenic sulfide pigment called orpiment.
Previous studies had shown that the conversion of these pigments to As(V) could lead to color degradation, but the underlying causes remained unclear.
To investigate the As(V) species, the researchers selected a sample from the 17th-century painting "Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase" by Jan Davidson de Heem. The yellow eglantine rose at the painting's center had been gradually fading to white.
Mona Lisa painting (credit: PXHERE)How did the scientists conduct their study?
To
examine the color change in greater detail, the scientists subjected
the sample to intense X-rays generated at one of SSRL's beam lines.
These
X-rays provided 2D images of the sample's cross-section, enabling the
researchers to pinpoint the locations of the arsenic species.
They
then subjected the egg-yolk sample to various humidity conditions and
compared the results with observations made within the sample from de
Heem's yellow eglantine rose.
The study revealed that the arsenic species can spread after reacting with water, both in lab-grown samples and paintings that are hundreds of years old.
Moving
forward, the team aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of
the interactions between light, including experimental X-rays, and the
pigments. This knowledge will help elucidate the complex reactions
between pigments and binders, contributing to ongoing conservation
efforts.
Additionally,
the researchers aim to determine the precise range of humidity levels
that facilitate the growth of arsenic species within pigments.
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To examine the color change in greater detail, the scientists subjected the sample to intense X-rays generated at one of SSRL's beam lines.
These X-rays provided 2D images of the sample's cross-section, enabling the researchers to pinpoint the locations of the arsenic species.
They then subjected the egg-yolk sample to various humidity conditions and compared the results with observations made within the sample from de Heem's yellow eglantine rose.
The study revealed that the arsenic species can spread after reacting with water, both in lab-grown samples and paintings that are hundreds of years old.
Moving forward, the team aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between light, including experimental X-rays, and the pigments. This knowledge will help elucidate the complex reactions between pigments and binders, contributing to ongoing conservation efforts.
Additionally, the researchers aim to determine the precise range of humidity levels that facilitate the growth of arsenic species within pigments.
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