Publication
Title
Chemical Mapping by Macroscopic X-ray Powder Diffraction (MA-XRPD) of Van Gogh's Sunflowers : identification of areas with higher degradation risk
Author
Abstract
The discoloration rate of chrome yellow (CY), a class of synthetic inorganic pigments (PbCr1-xSxO4) frequently used by Van Gogh and his contemporaries, strongly depends on its sulfate content and on its crystalline structure (either monoclinic or orthorhombic). Macroscopic X-Ray powder diffraction imaging of selected areas on Van Gogh's Sunflowers (Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam) revealed the presence of two subtypes of CY: the light-fast monoclinic PbCrO4 (LF-CY) and the light-sensitive monoclinic PbCr1-xSxO4 (x approximate to 0.5; LS-CY). The latter was encountered in large parts of the painting (e.g., in the pale-yellow background and the bright-yellow petals, but also in the green stems and flower hearts), thus indicating their higher risk for past or future darkening. Overall, it is present in more than 50% of the CY regions. Preferred orientation of LS-CY allows observation of a significant ordering of the elongated crystallites along the direction of Van Gogh's brush strokes.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Angewandte Chemie: international edition in English. - Weinheim
Publication
Weinheim : 2018
ISSN
1433-7851
0570-0833
DOI
10.1002/ANIE.201713293
Volume/pages
57 :25 (2018) , p. 7418-7422
ISI
000434949200023
Pubmed ID
29498460
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
SOLARPAINT: Understanding the durability of light sensitive materials: transferring insights between solar cell physics and the chemistry of paintings.
IPERION CH: Integrated Platform for the European Research Infrastructure ON Cultural Heritage
Role and long-term evolution of metal sulfides in paintings (S2-ART).
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 07.09.2018
Last edited 04.03.2024
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