US EPA

4287542 

Journal Article 

Pigments elementary chemical composition study of a gainsborough attributed painting employing a portable x-rays fluorescence system 

Appoloni, CR; Blonski, MS; Parreira, PS; Souza, LAC 

2007 

Yes 

AIP Conference Proceedings
ISSN: 0094-243X
EISSN: 1551-7616 

AIP Conference Proceedings 

884 

459-+ 

WOS:000245812000077 

The investigated painting, identified with the title "The woodman", is attributed to Thomas Gainsborough (XVIII century) and is under investigation at the Laboratory of Conservation Science (LACICOR), CECOR/EBA/UFMG. The measurements were carried out with a portable X-rays fluorescence (XRF) system constituted of a X-rays tube with Ag anode, a Si PIN - diode detector, nuclear electronic chain and a special designed mechanical system for the detector and X-ray tube positioning, that enables angular and XYZ movements of the exciation-detection system. The employed voltage and current intensity were 17 kV and 3 mA, respectively. The time of acquisition for each measurement was 500 s. XRF spectra were analyzed using the AXIL-WinQXAS software. Three measurements in each of the following regions of the painting were done: face, leaves, arm, sky and firewood. ne carried out analysis indicated the following pigments: White (lead white and calcium sulfate, identified by the elements Pb, Ca and S), Blue (Prussian blue, identified by the key element Fe), Red (Vermilion, identified by the elements Hg and S) and Brown (mixture of Fe and Mn oxides, identified by the elements Fe and Mn). Elements belonging to modem pigments corresponding to the same colors were absent in the analyzed spectra. 

pigments; EDXRF; chemical elementary composition; authenticity