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Author Lachmann, T.; van der Snickt, G.; Haschke, M.; Mantouvalou, I.
Title Combined 1D, 2D and 3D micro-XRF techniques for the analysis of illuminated manuscripts Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry Abbreviated Journal
Volume 31 Issue 10 Pages 1989-1997
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract The combination of several micro-XRF analysis modes is presented for the investigation of an illuminated parchment manuscript. With a commercial instrument, conventional micro-XRF spot analysis (0D) and mapping (2D) are performed, yielding detailed lateral elemental information. Depth resolution becomes accessible by mounting an additional polycapillary lens in front of an SDD detector. Quantitative confocal depth profiles (1D) are presented as well as the full separation of the front and the backside decorations with the help of fast 3D mappings of specific areas. Only through the use of these multidimensional modes can elemental information be assigned both to lateral and depth positions, making the analysis of such heterogeneous samples feasible.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000385362200004 Publication Date 2016-08-25
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0267-9477 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:144755 Serial 7679
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Author Legrand, S.; van der Snickt, G.; Cagno, S.; Caen, J.; Janssens, K.
Title MA-XRF imaging as a tool to characterize the 16th century heraldic stained-glass panels in Ghent Saint Bavo Cathedral Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Journal of cultural heritage Abbreviated Journal
Volume 40 Issue Pages 163-168
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; History; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract MA-XRF is a novel macroscopic imaging technique originally developed for easel paintings and recently made available to glass conservators. This paper discusses the first real-life contribution of MA-XRF imaging to a conservation intervention of stained-glass panels. The six panels under study belong to the cathedral building since their creation in 1555-1559 AD. MA-XRF appeared an outstanding tool for first-line screening of stained-glass windows, providing readily interpretable information on glass type, coloring and alteration processes. In particular, the chemical imaging technique allowed distinguishing unambiguously the surviving original glass panes from later additions, thereby ensuring a correct historical understanding. From a more practical point of view, the experiments supplied accurate schemes that can be directly incorporated in condition reports and assist designing the ensuing conservation approach. (C0 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000491173800017 Publication Date 2019-06-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1296-2074 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:167564 Serial 8191
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Author Simoen, J.; De Meyer, S.; Vanmeert, F.; De Keyser, N.; Avranovich, E.; van der Snickt, G.; Van Loon, A.; Keune, K.; Janssens, K.
Title Combined Micro- and Macro scale X-ray powder diffraction mapping of degraded Orpiment paint in a 17th century still life painting by Martinus Nellius Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 83
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract The spontaneous chemical alteration of artists' pigment materials may be caused by several degradation processes. Some of these are well known while others are still in need of more detailed investigation and documentation. These changes often become apparent as color modifications, either caused by a change in the oxidation state in the original material or the formation of degradation products or salts, via simple or more complex, multistep reactions. Arsenic-based pigments such as orpiment (As2S3) or realgar (alpha-As4S4) are prone to such alterations and are often described as easily oxidizing upon exposure to light. Macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction (MA-XRPD) imaging on a sub area of a still life painting by the 17th century Dutch painter Martinus Nellius was employed in combination with microscopic (mu-) XRPD imaging of a paint cross section taken in the area imaged by MA-XRPD. In this way, the in situ formation of secondary metal arsenate and sulfate species and their migration through the paint layer stack they originate from could be visualized. In the areas originally painted with orpiment, it could be shown that several secondary minerals such as schultenite (PbHAsO4), mimetite (Pb-5(AsO4)(3)Cl), palmierite (K2Pb(SO4)(2)) and syngenite (K2Ca(SO4)(2)center dot H2O) have formed. Closer inspection of the cross-sectioned paint layer stack with mu-XRPD illustrates that the arsenate minerals schultenite and mimetite have precipitated at the interface between the orpiment layer and the layer below that is rich in lead white, i.e. close to the depth of formation of the arsenate ions. The sulfate palmierite has mostly precipitated at the surface and upper layers of the painting.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000490592700001 Publication Date 2019-10-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes ; The authors acknowledge financial support from the NWO (The Hague) Science4Arts 'ReVisRembrandt' project (AvL, JD), the GOA Project Solarpaint (University of Antwerp Research Council) (SdM) and the METOX project (Belgian Federal Science Policy) (FvM). Special thanks go to the support received from FWO, Brussels via projects G056619 N and G054719 N (GvdS, KJ) and from NWO, The Hague via project NICAS/3D2P (KK, NdK). Parts of the MA-XRPD scanner could be purchased thanks to InterReg Project Smart*Light. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:163693 Serial 5521
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Author De Meyer, S.; Vanmeert, F.; Vertongen, R.; van Loon, A.; Gonzalez, V.; van der Snickt, G.; Vandivere, A.; Janssens, K.
Title Imaging secondary reaction products at the surface of Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring by means of macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction scanning Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 67
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract The use of non-invasive macroscopic imaging techniques is becoming more prevalent in the field of cultural heritage, especially to avoid invasive procedures that damage valuable artworks. For this purpose, an X-ray powder diffraction scanner (MA-XRPD) capable of visualising crystalline compounds in a highly specific manner was recently developed. Many inorganic pigments present in paintings fall into this category of materials. In this study, the 17th century oil painting Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665) by Johannes Vermeer was analysed with a combination of transmission and reflection mode MA-XRPD. By employing this scanner in reflection mode, the relative sensitivity for compounds that are present at the paint surface could be increased, establishing it as a highly relevant technique for investigating the degradation processes that are ongoing at paint surfaces. Many of the original pigments employed by Vermeer could be identified, along with four secondary alteration products: gypsum (CaSO4 center dot 2H(2)O), anglesite (PbSO4), palmierite (K2Pb(SO4)(2)) and weddellite (CaC2O4 center dot 2H(2)O). The formation of gypsum was linked to the presence of chalk in the upper glaze layer while the formation of palmierite and weddellite is driven by the presence of lake pigments (and their substrates). In this manner, MA-XRPD can also be used to pinpoint locations relevant for sampling and synchrotron mu-XRPD analysis, which provides information on the microscopic make-up of the paint. A paint cross-section taken from an area rich in palmierite was analysed with synchrotron mu-XRPD, which confirmed the presence of this secondary compound at the interface of the upper paint layer with the ground layer as well as the presence of anglesite in the ground layer. The capacity of MA-XRPD to identify and chart secondary alteration products in a non-invasive manner has only very recently been demonstrated and makes it a highly relevant technique for the assessment of the chemical condition of works of art.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000484938100001 Publication Date 2019-09-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes ; The authors would like to thank Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland for funding to help develop the MA-rXRPD scanner. This project was made possible with support from the Johan Maurits Compagnie Foundation. This study was supported by Interreg and CALIPSOplus (Grant 730872). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:162801 Serial 5653
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Author Harth, A.; van der Snickt, G.; Schalm, O.; Janssens, K.; Blanckaert, G.
Title The young Van Dyck's fingerprint : a technical approach to assess the authenticity of a disputed painting Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue Pages 22-13
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract The painting Saint Jerome, part of the collection of the Maagdenhuis Museum (Antwerp, Belgium), is attributed to the young Anthony van Dyck (1613-1621) with reservations. The painting displays remarkable compositional and iconographic similarities with two early Van Dyck works (1618-1620) now in Museum Boijmans van Beuningen (Rotterdam) and Nationalmuseum (Stockholm). Despite these similarities, previous art historical research did not result in a clear attribution to this master. In this study, the works authenticity as a young Van Dyck painting was assessed from a technical perspective by employing a twofold approach. First, technical information on Van Dycks materials and techniques, here identified as his fingerprint, were defined based on a literature review. Second, the materials and techniques of the questioned Saint Jerome painting were characterized by using complementary imaging techniques: infrared reflectography, X-ray radiography and macro X-ray fluorescence scanning. The insights from this non-invasive research were supplemented with analysis of a limited number of cross-sections by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the questioned paintings materials and techniques deviate from Van Dycks fingerprint, thus making the authorship of this master very unlikely.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000403971300001 Publication Date 2017-05-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access
Notes ; The authors are grateful to the staff of the Maagdenhuis Museum Antwerp, especially to Daniel Christiaens and Rudi van Velthoven, for their cooperation and enthusiastic support. Prof. Em. Claudine A. Chavannes-Mazel and Ph. D. student Alice Taatgen (University of Amsterdam) are acknowledged for the IRR recordings. We also would like to acknowledge Dr. Christina Currie (KIK/IRPA) and Catherine Fondaire (KIK/IRPA) for the XRR, and Eva Grieten (EMAT, University of Antwerp) for the FE-SEM-EDX. Finally, the authors wish to thank Prof. Dr. Katlijne van der Stighelen (University of Leuven) and Prof. Dr. Maximilaan Martens (Ghent University) for their art historical insights and additional comments. This research was supported by the Baillet Latour fund and Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:143633 Serial 5923
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Author van Loon, A.; Noble, P.; de Man, D.; Alfeld, M.; Callewaert, T.; van der Snickt, G.; Janssens, K.; Dik, J.
Title The role of smalt in complex pigment mixtures in Rembrandt'sHomer1663: combining MA-XRF imaging, microanalysis, paint reconstructions and OCT Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 8 Issue 1 Pages 90-19
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract As part of the NWO Science4ArtsREVISRembrandtproject (2012-2018), novel chemical imaging techniques were developed and applied to the study of Rembrandt's late experimental painting technique (1651-1669). One of the unique features in his late paintings is his abundant use of smalt: a blue cobalt glass pigment that he often combined with organic lake pigments, earth pigments and blacks. Since most of these smalt-containing paints have discolored over time, we wanted to find out more about how these paintings may have originally looked, and what the role of smalt was in his paint. This paper reports on the use of smalt in complex pigment mixtures in Rembrandt'sHomer(1663), Mauritshuis, The Hague. Macroscopic X-ray fluorescence imaging (MA-XRF) assisted by computational analysis, in combination with SEM-EDX analysis of paint cross-sections, provides new information about the distribution and composition of the smalt paints in the painting. Paint reconstructions were carried out to investigate the effect of different percentages of smalt on the overall color, the drying properties, translucency and texture of the paint. Results show that the influence of (the originally blue) smalt on the intended color of the paint of theHomeris minimal. However, in mixtures with high percentages of smalt, or when combined with more transparent pigments, it was concluded that the smalt did produce a cooler and darker paint. It was also found that the admixture of opaque pigments reduced the translucent character of the smalt. The drying tests show that the paints with (cobalt-containing) smalt dried five times faster compared to those with glass (without cobalt). Most significantly, the texture of the paint was strongly influenced by adding smalt, creating a more irregular surface topography with clearly pronounced brushstrokes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used as an additional tool to reveal differences in translucency and texture between the different paint reconstructions. In conclusion, this study confirmed earlier assumptions that Rembrandt used substantial amounts of smalt in his late paintings, not for its blue color, but to give volume and texture to his paints, to deepen their colors and to make them dry faster.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000565893700001 Publication Date 2020-09-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.5 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.5; 2020 IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:171995 Serial 8659
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Author van Loon, A.; Noble, P.; Krekeler, A.; van der Snickt, G.; Janssens, K.; Abe, Y.; Nakai, I.; Dik, J.
Title Artificial orpiment, a new pigment in Rembrandt's palette Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue Pages 26
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract This paper reports on how the application of macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) imaging, in combination with the re-examination of existing paint cross-sections, has led to the discovery of a new pigment in Rembrandt's palette: artificial orpiment. In the NWO Science4Arts 'ReVisRembrandt' project, novel chemical imaging techniques are being developed and applied to the study of Rembrandt's late paintings in order to help resolve outstanding questions and to gain a better understanding of his late enigmatic painting technique. One of the selected case studies is the Portrait of a Couple as Isaac and Rebecca, known as 'The Jewish Bride', dated c. 1665 and on view in the Rijksmuseum. During the re-installation of the Rijksmuseum in 2013, the picture was scanned using the Bruker M6 Jetstream MAXRF scanner. The resulting elemental distribution maps made it possible to distinguish many features in the painting, such as bone black remains of the original hat (P, Ca maps), and the now discolored smalt-rich background (Co, Ni, As, K maps). The arsenic (As) map also revealed areas of high-intensity in Isaac's sleeve and Rebecca's dress where it could be established that it was not related with the pigment smalt that also contains arsenic. This pointed to the presence of a yellow or orange arsenic-containing pigment, such as realgar or orpiment that is not associated with the artist's palette. Subsequent examination of existing paint cross-sections from these locations taken by Karin Groen in the 1990s identified isolated, almost perfectly round particles of arsenic sulfide. The round shape corresponds with published findings on a purified form of artificial orpiment glass obtained by dry processing, a sublimation reaction. In bright field, the particles characteristically exhibit a dark cross in the middle caused by internal light reflections. The results of additional non-invasive techniques (portable XRD and portable Raman) are discussed, as well as the implications of this finding and how it fits with Rembrandt's late experimental painting technique.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000404916400001 Publication Date 2017-06-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 6 Open Access
Notes ; This research is part of the Science4Arts Program, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (Grant No. SFA-11-12). GVdS is supported by the Baillet Latour Fund. The authors would like to thank Lisette Vos, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, for assisting with the MA-XRF scanning; Arisa Izumi and Airi Hirayama, students of the Tokyo University of Science, and Frederik Vanmeert, University of Antwerp, for assisting with the pXRD and pRaman measurements. We are also grateful to Rob Erdmann, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, who made the curtain viewer to facilitate comparison of the visible image with the elemental distribution maps of the painting. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:144864 Serial 5479
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Author De Keyser, N.; van der Snickt, G.; Van Loon, A.; Legrand, S.; Wallert, A.; Janssens, K.
Title Jan Davidsz. de Heem (1606-1684): a technical examination of fruit and flower still lifes combining MA-XRF scanning, cross-section analysis and technical historical sources Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue Pages 38
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract This article discusses the technical examination of five flower and fruit still life paintings by the seventeenth century artist Jan Davidsz. de Heem (1606-1684). The painter is known for his meticulously composed and finely detailed still life paintings and is a master in imitating the surface textures of various fruits, flowers, and objects. Macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) scanning experiments were supplemented with a study of paint cross-sections and contemporary art technical sources with the aim of reconstructing the complex build-up of the overall lay-in of the composition and individual subjects. MA-XRF provided information on the distribution of key chemical elements present in painting materials and made it possible to recapture evidence of the different phases in the artist's working methods: from the application of the ground layers, to De Heem's characteristic oval-shaped underpaintings, and finally, the superposition of multiple paint layers in the working up of the paintings. SEM-EDX analysis of a limited number of paint cross-sections complemented the chemical images with local and layer-specific information on the microscale, providing more accuracy on the layer sequence and enabling the study of elements with a low atomic number for which the non-invasive technique is less sensitive. The results from this technical examination were in addition compared with recipes and paint instructions, to obtain a better understanding of the relation between the general practice and actual painting technique of Jan Davidsz. de Heem. Ultimately, this combined approach uncovered new information on De Heem's artistic practice and demonstrated the complementarity of the methods.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000410414000001 Publication Date 2017-08-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes ; This work is an extension of the Master thesis in Conservation-restoration (University of Antwerp, 2015-2016) of Nouchka De Keyser. Thesis supervisors were Dr. Geert Van der Snickt (Cultural heritage scientist, AXES, UA) and Dr. Olivier Schalm (Research scientist, UA). This research was supported by the Baillet Latour fund. The authors gratefully acknowledge the involved institutes (Rijksmuseum, the Mauritshuis and KMSKA) for the opportunity to examine the still life paintings of Jan Davidsz. de Heem. A great thanks is therefore due to Petria Noble, Pieter Roelofs, Anna Krekeler, Susan Smelt, Robert Erdmann, Abbie Vandivere, Edwin Buijsen and Masayuki Hinoue. SEM-EDX measurements were performed by Katrien Keune, scientific researcher at the Rijksmuseum. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:145628 Serial 5681
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Author da Silva, A.T.; Legrand, S.; van der Snickt, G.; Featherstone, R.; Janssens, K.; Bottinelli, G.
Title MA-XRF imaging on Rene Magritte's La condition humaine : insights into the artist's palette and technique and the discovery of a third quarter of La pose enchantee Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue Pages 37
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Magritte's composition La condition humaine, 1935 was found to conceal under its paint layers an entire quarter of a lost composition by the artist, until recently only known from a small black/white catalogue illustration-La pose enchantee, 1927. This study is the latest contribution to the discovery of the artist's missing painting, now known to have been cut into four parts and re-used by Magritte as the support for new compositions. Non-destructive analytical and examination methods and specifically macroscopic X-ray fluorescence (MAXRF) scanning and conventional X-ray radiography (XRR) were the two non-destructive analytical and examination methods used to study both compositions and add to the existing knowledge on the artist's palette during both periods. The first method is capable of identifying the presence and the distribution of key chemical elements present in artists' materials. In some instances elemental mapping provided useful information on the hidden painting, but conventional X-ray radiography (XRR) enabled a better visualisation of the form and paint application of the underlying composition. Furthermore, the turnover edges of the canvas reveal after over 80 years the artist's palette directly to the viewer. Additional XRF scanning of this exposed paint has confirmed and added to the existing research published to date of this lost painting, including a proposed colour reconstruction, but at the same time highlighting the need for further analytical research involving both non-destructive point analysis and the use of paint samples.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000410413500001 Publication Date 2017-08-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:145695 Serial 5696
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Author Dooley, K.A.; Gifford, E.M.; van Loon, A.; Noble, P.; Zeibel, J.G.; Conover, D.M.; Alfeld, M.; van der Snickt, G.; Legrand, S.; Janssens, K.; Dik, J.; Delaney, J.K.
Title Separating two painting campaigns in Saul and David, attributed to Rembrandt, using macroscale reflectance and XRF imaging spectroscopies and microscale paint analysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 46
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Late paintings of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) offer intriguing problems for both art historians and conservation scientists. In the research presented here, the key question addressed is whether observed stylistic differences in paint handling can be correlated with material differences. In Saul and David, in the collection of the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, NL, the stylistic differences between the loose brushwork of Saul's cloak and the more detailed depiction of his turban and the figure of David have been associated with at least two painting stages since the late 1960s, but the attribution of each stage has been debated in the art historical literature. Stylistic evaluation of the paint handling in the two stages, based on magnified surface examination, is further described here. One of the research goals was to determine whether the stylistic differences could be further differentiated with macroscale and microscale methods of material analysis. To address this, selected areas of the painting having pronounced stylistic differences were investigated with two macroscopic chemical imaging methods, X-ray fluorescence and reflectance imaging spectroscopies. The pigments used were identified and their spatial distribution was mapped. The mapping results show that the passages rendered in more detail and associated stylistically with the first painting stage, such as the orange-red color of David's garment or the Greek key design in Saul's turban, were painted with predominately red ochre mixed with vermilion. The regions of loose, bold brushwork, such as the orange-red slashing strokes in the interior of Saul's cloak, associated with the second painting stage, were painted with predominately red ochre without vermilion. These macroscale imaging results were confirmed and extended with scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis of three cross-sections taken from regions of stylistic differences associated with the two painting stages, including one sample each from the right and left sleeve of David, and one from the interior of Saul's cloak. SEM-EDX also identified a trace component, barium sulfate, associated with the red ochre of the second stage revisions. Combining mapping information from two spectroscopic imaging methods with localized information from microscopic samples has clearly shown that the stylistic differences observed in the paint handling are affiliated with differences in the chemical composition of the paints.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000441205600001 Publication Date 2018-08-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes ; The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support through the NWO Science4Arts program (ReVisRembrandt Project 2012-2018) and the NSF SCI-ART program (Award 1041827). JKD acknowledges support from the Andrew W. Mellon and the Samuel H. Kress Foundations. SL is grateful for a doctoral scholarship from the Research Council of the University of Antwerp. GvdS and KJ acknowledge support from the Fund Baillet Latour. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:153119 Serial 5829
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Author Centeno, S.A.; Hale, C.; Caro, F.; Cesaratto, A.; Shibayama, N.; Delaney, J.; Dooley, K.; van der Snickt, G.; Janssens, K.; Stein, S.A.
Title Van Gogh's Irises and Roses : the contribution of chemical analyses and imaging to the assessment of color changes in the red lake pigments Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue Pages 18
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Vincent van Gogh's still lifes Irises and Roses were investigated to shed light onto the degree to which the paintings had changed, both individually and in relation to each other since they were painted, particularly in regard to the fading of the red lakes. Non-invasive techniques, including macroscopic X-ray fluorescence mapping, reflectance imaging spectroscopy, and X-radiography, were combined with microanalytical techniques in a select number of samples. The in-depth microchemical analysis was necessary to overcome the complications that arise when evaluating by non-invasive methods alone the compositions of passages with complex layering and mixing of paints. The results obtained by these two approaches were complemented by color measurements performed on paint cross-sections and on protected edges, and with historical information provided by the artist's own descriptions, early reviews and reproductions, and the data was used to carry out digital color simulations that provided, to a certain extent, a visualization of how the paintings may have originally appeared.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000401365400001 Publication Date 2017-04-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 21 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:143748 Serial 5903
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Author Martins, A.; Coddington, J.; van der Snickt, G.; van Driel, B.; McGlinchey, C.; Dahlberg, D.; Janssens, K.; Dik, J.
Title Jackson Pollock's Number 1A, 1948 : a non-invasive study using macro-x-ray fluorescence mapping (MA-XRF) and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) analysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 4 Issue Pages 33
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Jackson Pollock's Number 1A, 1948 painting was investigated using in situ scanning macro-x-ray fluorescence mapping (MA-XRF) to help characterize the artist's materials and his creative process. A multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) approach was used to examine the hyperspectral data and obtain distribution maps and signature spectra for the paints he used. The composition of the paints was elucidated based on the chemical elements identified in the signature spectra and a tentative list of pigments, fillers and other additives is proposed for eleven different paints and for the canvas. The paint distribution maps were used to virtually reconstruct the artist process and document the sequence and manner in which Pollock applied the different paints, using deliberate and specific gestures.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000386395100001 Publication Date 2016-09-07
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:138172 Serial 8134
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Author Koldeweij, J.; Hoogstede, L.; Ilsink, M.; Janssens, K.; De Keyser, N.; Gotink, R.K.; Legrand, S.; Nauhaus, J.M.; van der Snickt, G.; Spronk, R.
Title The patron of Hieronymus Bosch's 'Last Judgment' triptych in Vienna Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication The Burlington magazine Abbreviated Journal
Volume 160 Issue 1379 Pages 106-111
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract A technical examination of the Last Judgment triptych by Hieronymus Bosch in the Paintings Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, has revealed a painted escutcheon with the coat of arms of the Burgundian court official Hippolyte de Berthoz underneath the current surface of the right outer wing. This allows him to be firmly identified as the painting's patron.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000458246800007 Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0007-6287; 2044-9925 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181267 Serial 8656
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Author Derks, K.; van der Snickt, G.; Legrand, S.; van der Stighelen, K.; Janssens, K.
Title The dark halo technique in the oeuvre of Michael Sweerts and other Flemish and Dutch baroque painters. A 17th c. empirical solution to mitigate the optical 'simultaneous contrast' effect? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Heritage science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 5
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)
Abstract Although the topic is rarely addressed in literature, a significant number of baroque paintings exhibit dark, halo-like shapes around the contours of the dramatis personae. Close examination of both finished and unfinished works suggests that this intriguing feature was a practical tool that helped the artist in the early painting stages. When applying the final brushwork, the halo lost its function, with some artists undertaking efforts to hide it. Although their visibility might not have been intended by the artists, today this dark paint beneath the surface is partially visible through the upper paint layers. Moreover, the disclosure of many halos using infrared photography (IRP), infrared reflectography (IRR) and macro X-ray fluorescence imaging (MA-XRF), additional to those that can be observed visually, suggests that this was a common and established element of 17th-century painting practice in Western Europe. Building on an existing hypothesis, we argue that halos can be considered as a solution to an optical problem that arose when baroque painters reversed the traditional, 15th- and 16th-century painting sequence of working from background to foreground. Instead, they started with the dominant parts of a composition, such as the face of a sitter. In that case, a temporary halo can provide the essential tonal reference to anticipate the chromatic impact of the final dark colored background on the adjacent delicate carnations. In particular, we attempt to clarify the prevalence of dark halos as a response to optical effects such as 'simultaneous contrast' and 'the crispening effect', described in literature only centuries later. As such, the recently termed 'ring condition' can be seen as the present-day equivalent of the 'halo solution' that was seemingly empirically or intuitively developed by 17th-century artists. Modern studies in visual perception proves that by laying a black ring around a target color, the optical impact of a surrounding color can be efficiently neutralized. Finally, by delving into works by Michael Sweerts, it becomes clear that resourceful artists might have adapted the halo technique and the underlying principles to their individual challenges, such as dealing with differently colored grounds.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000739965700001 Publication Date 2022-01-07
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2050-7445 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.5
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185458 Serial 7217
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Author Deleu, N.; Hillen, M.; Steenackers, G.; Borms, G.; Janssens, K.; Van der Stighelen, K.; Van der Snickt, G.
Title Combined macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) and pulse phase thermography (PPT) imaging for the technical study of panel paintings Type A1 Journal article
Year 2024 Publication Talanta : the international journal of pure and applied analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal
Volume 270 Issue Pages 125533-11
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Art; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)
Abstract Museum staff usually relies on a proven combination of X-ray radiography (XRR) and infrared reflectography (IRR) to study paintings in a non-destructive manner. In the last decades, however, the research toolbox of heritage scientists has expanded considerably, with a prime example being macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF), producing element-specific images. The goal of this article is to illustrate the added value of augmenting MA-XRF with pulse phase thermography (PPT), a variant of active infrared thermographic imaging (IRT), which is an innovative diagnostic method that is able to reveal variations between or in materials, based on a different response to minor fluctuations in temperature when irradiated with optical radiation. By examining three 16thand 17th-century panel paintings we assess the extent in which combined MA-XRF and PPT contributes to a better understanding of two commonly encountered interventions to panel paintings: (a) Anstuckungen (enlargement of the panel) or (b) substitutions (replacement of part of the panel). Yielding information from different depths of the painting, these two techniques proved highly complementary with IRR and XRR, expanding the understanding of the build-up, genesis, and material history of the paintings. While MA-XRF documented the interventions to the wooden substrate indirectly by revealing variations in painting materials, paint handling and/ or layer sequence between the original part and the extended or replaced planks, PPT proved beneficial for the study of the wooden support itself, by providing a clear image of the wood structure quasi-free of distortion by the superimposed paint or cradling. XRR, on the other hand, revealed other features from the wood structure, not visible with PPT, and allowed looking through the wooden panels, revealing e.g. the dowels used for joining the planks. Additionally, IRR visualised dissimilarities in the underdrawings. In this way, the results indicate that PPT has the potential to become an acknowledged add-on to the expanding set of imaging methods for paintings, especially when used in combination with MA-XRF, IRR and XRR.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001144098200001 Publication Date 2023-12-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0039-9140; 1873-3573 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 6.1 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.1; 2024 IF: 4.162
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:203764 Serial 9193
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