In the Cathedral of Utrecht, a well-preserved mural still decorates the burial chapel of Guy of Avesnes, Bishop of Utrecht between 1301 and 1317. It was discovered in 1919, when a brick wall was removed from what turned out to be a... more
In the Cathedral of Utrecht, a well-preserved mural still decorates the burial chapel of Guy of Avesnes, Bishop of Utrecht between 1301 and 1317. It was discovered in 1919, when a brick wall was removed from what turned out to be a painted niche. The mural, which depicts a Calvary, covers the rear wall of this niche, which is located in the chapel’s eastside wall. Its figures are of an outstanding quality; other murals like this have not survived in the Northern Netherlands. What is even more exceptional is the fact that on the back wall of the niche not one but two paintings can be found, the one currently visible covering an older mural. This older mural was probably placed there as part of the furnishings when the chapel became a burial chapel for the aforementioned bishop in around 1320. This mural was painted over in around 1410. The unique situation of a well-preserved fifteenth-century mural covering a fourteenth-century one calls for technical research that renders both mura...
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AbstractPapyrus has been one of the most important materials in history. Since the eleventh century the secrets of its manufacture have been lost. No unambiguous primary text discussing the making of papyrus is known to exist. Recent... more
AbstractPapyrus has been one of the most important materials in history. Since the eleventh century the secrets of its manufacture have been lost. No unambiguous primary text discussing the making of papyrus is known to exist. Recent experiments have resulted in two different reconstructions of the process of papyrus manufacture. Study with light microscopy and SEM was conducted in order to investigate these methods. Characteristic features of papyrus of different manufacture are described. The study revealed the possibility of distinguishing between the two proposed reconstructions in the examination of extant papyri.
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'Artists' knowledge' can be considered as 'the specialist knowledge artists used to make their art'. This paper argues that in the Middle Ages there was a two-way exchange of knowledge between atelier and academy.... more
'Artists' knowledge' can be considered as 'the specialist knowledge artists used to make their art'. This paper argues that in the Middle Ages there was a two-way exchange of knowledge between atelier and academy. Material from encyclopedias became incorporated in technical literatura, while technical texts were extracted and adapted for encyclopedis purposes. Craft knowledge was absorbed by 'natural philosophers', as technical treatises entered the library as works of general intelectual interest. It can thus be difficult to establish whether a given art technological source text was used or was intended for use within an atelier, or was in fact a para-literary production. Examples are presented of art technical sources embedded within more encyclopedic works. Rarer are examples of texts of non-artisanal intent that are incorporated into craft text. In each case, texts exhibit characteristic reworking to suit the new readership. Vitruvius' "De architectura", the "Schedula diversarum artium", the "De proprietatibus rerum", the Avranches manuscript, and part of the Heraclius treatise provide good examples of this peculiar relationship between craft treatise and encyclopedia. The relationship between craft treatise and encyclopedia is neither clear nor one-directional -there is often a difference between the intention of the original text and its eventual use.
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ABSTRACT James McNeill Whistler was meticulous in his choice and use of oil painting materials. The late 1870s and early 1880s seem to introduce a period of experimentation, characterised by strongly diluted paints in the full-length... more
ABSTRACT James McNeill Whistler was meticulous in his choice and use of oil painting materials. The late 1870s and early 1880s seem to introduce a period of experimentation, characterised by strongly diluted paints in the full-length portraits of that period, and resulting in a richer language in paint handling in Whistler's later works. Through scientific analyses combined with art-historical research, as well as material from the Whistler correspondence, this paper addresses the process of experimentation as well as the visual impact of Whistler's exploitation of the increased fluidity and transparency of his oil paints, and of his choice of unusual materials to enhance these effects. The research centres on Whistler's full-length portrait Arrangement in Yellow and Grey: Effie Deans (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam) as a key case study.
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“A Note on the Imaging of Lead White and Vermillion in a Painting by Carel Fabritius by Synchrotron Radiation-based, simultaneous dual energy K-edge Absorption Radiography”, A. Wallert, G.Tauber,Porra, Bravin, Krug, J.Dik, Journal of the American Institute for Conservation Vol. 48, No. 2, 2009, p...more
The painting 'Two fisherboys' has long caused confusion among experts. A close comparison of the painting with a forgery by Han van Meegeren and Frans Hals's 'Fisherboy' solves the conundrum and... more
The painting 'Two fisherboys' has long caused confusion among experts. A close comparison of the painting with a forgery by Han van Meegeren and Frans Hals's 'Fisherboy' solves the conundrum and provides valuable insights into the merits and drawbacks of modern analytical techniques.
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Additional file 1. Additional figures.
Historical documents describing the use of organic yellows in archaeological painting are reviewed. Microchemical tests for their identification are given. Spectrofluorometrical examination and uv-vis solution spectrometry of organic... more
Historical documents describing the use of organic yellows in archaeological painting are reviewed. Microchemical tests for their identification are given. Spectrofluorometrical examination and uv-vis solution spectrometry of organic yellow dyes from two 3rd-century Egyptian mummy cloths are described. The identification of the dyes is based mainly on comparison of fluorescence spectra (3-dimensional) with references. An index file of topograms for historic natural dyes is being prepared. Figures, references.
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The relationships between the underdrawing and painting techniques of three Leiden School artists were explored as part of recent technical examinations undertaken within the ‘Impact of Oil’ project (University of Amsterdam, University of... more
The relationships between the underdrawing and painting techniques of three Leiden School artists were explored as part of recent technical examinations undertaken within the ‘Impact of Oil’ project (University of Amsterdam, University of Utrecht and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD). Developments in the working methods of Cornelis Engebrechtsz were compared with those of two of his pupils: Lucas van Leyden and Aertgen van Leyden. The examination focused on the change from a detailed brush underdrawing to a sketchier chalk underdrawing, colour transitions in the draperies, and the depiction of brocade fabrics.
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With the use of scientific methods of examination most of the Olivetan choral books have been studied. Minute samples taken from some of the illuminations of the choral books have been compared with modern standard samples that were... more
With the use of scientific methods of examination most of the Olivetan choral books have been studied. Minute samples taken from some of the illuminations of the choral books have been compared with modern standard samples that were prepared by the autor according to recipes from Ambruogio's Ricepte. The samples also were compared with materials, not being described in the recipe book, of which the use in manuscript illumination seemed likely. Scientific analysis showed a correspondence between illuminations of the choral books and the contents of the recipe books. ... Zie: Summary
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AbstractBasic features of spectrofluorometry are described. Botanical sources and chemical compositions of some natural dyes used, or likely to have been used, in textile dyeings and manuscript illumination are reviewed. Their chemical... more
AbstractBasic features of spectrofluorometry are described. Botanical sources and chemical compositions of some natural dyes used, or likely to have been used, in textile dyeings and manuscript illumination are reviewed. Their chemical compositions are liable to varying degrees of change with time, crop quality, exposure, mordanting, dyeing techniques and other procedures. Problems in evaluation of their analysis are discussed. Procedures for sample preparation and extraction are applicable to all quinone, redwood and lichen dyes. Identification of dyes is based on comparison of fluorescence emission spectra, sometimes together with excitation spectra, with those of known dyes. A description of the method is followed by some examples of analysis to illustrate possibilities and limitations. Spectrofluorometry provides a rapid, effective means for qualitative determination of dyestuffs in very small samples.
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AbstractThe pigments and binding media in a late thirteenth-century Byzantine marginal psalter from the Walters Art Gallery (MS W.733) were identified using a variety of analytical techniques. At the same time, the painting methods used... more
AbstractThe pigments and binding media in a late thirteenth-century Byzantine marginal psalter from the Walters Art Gallery (MS W.733) were identified using a variety of analytical techniques. At the same time, the painting methods used by the illuminator were studied and compared with techniques found in two eleventh-century marginal psalters to which the Walters manuscript is closely related. Although there are many parallels with the earlier manuscripts, the miniatures in W.733 are highly idiosyncratic and stand apart from the work of contemporary Byzantine illuminators of the thirteenth century.
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AbstractIn the traditional manufacture of the parchment of the Dead Sea Scrolls, considerable amounts of soluble salts were applied. These salts were examined by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and polarized light microscopy.... more
AbstractIn the traditional manufacture of the parchment of the Dead Sea Scrolls, considerable amounts of soluble salts were applied. These salts were examined by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and polarized light microscopy. Dynamic aspects of deliquescence and recrystallization of the salts were examined with the environmental scanning electron microscope. The presence of these salts may have considerable significance for the conservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
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In the first of two articles presenting findings from a collaborative research project into Frans Hals's working methods and materials, an analysis of his 'Portrait of a woman' in the Gemaldegalerie, Berlin, using five different... more
In the first of two articles presenting findings from a collaborative research project into Frans Hals's working methods and materials, an analysis of his 'Portrait of a woman' in the Gemaldegalerie, Berlin, using five different non-invasive techniques offers a benchmark for a technical understanding of his paintings that can be used to support attributions made by traditional connoisseurship.
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Two still-life paintings were scientifically examined in order to gain insights about Dutch painter Jan van Huysum's (1682-1749) purportedly secretive paintings techniques, comparing the actual works to information obtained in the few... more
Two still-life paintings were scientifically examined in order to gain insights about Dutch painter Jan van Huysum's (1682-1749) purportedly secretive paintings techniques, comparing the actual works to information obtained in the few available historical technical sources. Surface investigations included macroscopic and microscopic examination, infrared reflectography and x-radiography, while material characterization of the ground, organic and inorganic pigments and binding media was carried out with a range of non-destructive and destructive analytical techniques. The belief that the two works were an original pair of pendant paintings was disproved due to substantial technical differences in the wood support, ground layers and use of yellow pigment. It was also found that Van Huysum's use of newly developed pigments (Prussian blue, Naples yellow) had lead to changes in his painting technique, which no longer corresponded to those described in the period's manuals, an...
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Two texts from Simone de Monte Dante's Medieval Italian manuscript are presented here in English translation. With their many recipes, these texts shed light on the technique and materials of 15th-century Italian manuscript... more
Two texts from Simone de Monte Dante's Medieval Italian manuscript are presented here in English translation. With their many recipes, these texts shed light on the technique and materials of 15th-century Italian manuscript illumination and the historical development of the illuminator's craft. Studying the relationship of this manuscript to other treatises may provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the adaptations and transmission of Medieval art technology.
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In September 1992 the J. Paul Getty Museum acquired Titian's Venus and Adonis , which is considered to be one of the few of Titian's autograph paintings of the subject. The inorganic and organic pigments, oil medium of the paint... more
In September 1992 the J. Paul Getty Museum acquired Titian's Venus and Adonis , which is considered to be one of the few of Titian's autograph paintings of the subject. The inorganic and organic pigments, oil medium of the paint layers, and proteinaceous medium of the ground were examined using various analytical methods. In addition, the authors studied Titian's other, much later version of Venus and Adonis located in the National Gallery in Washington, DC. The comparison revealed distinct differences in style and technique. This multidisciplinary study has been shown to be very useful in gaining a better understanding of Titian's working methods. The examination also revealed useful information about various aspects of early Italian oil painting methods in general and helps place the technique of this painting by Titian in context with other paintings of the period.
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... style : the examination of paintings from the Rijksmuseum Contents Note: Methods and Materials of Still-Life Painting in the Seventeenth Century, Arie Wallert -- Still-Life Sources: Magriet van Eikema-Hommes, Jolanda de Bruijn, Erma... more
... style : the examination of paintings from the Rijksmuseum Contents Note: Methods and Materials of Still-Life Painting in the Seventeenth Century, Arie Wallert -- Still-Life Sources: Magriet van Eikema-Hommes, Jolanda de Bruijn, Erma Hermens, Arie Wallert Publisher/Distributor ...
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... Author: Wallert, Arie; Geertgen; Tauber, Gwen; Murphy, Lisa Title of Source: The Holy kinship : a medieval masterpiece Publisher/Distributor: Waanders; Rijksmuseum Publisher/Distributor City: Zwolle; Amsterdam Date of Publication:... more
... Author: Wallert, Arie; Geertgen; Tauber, Gwen; Murphy, Lisa Title of Source: The Holy kinship : a medieval masterpiece Publisher/Distributor: Waanders; Rijksmuseum Publisher/Distributor City: Zwolle; Amsterdam Date of Publication: 2001 c Collation: 56 p.; ill. ...
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Gerard Ter Borch was a painter with a decisive influence on 17th century genre painting. His paintings show an astonishing mastery at rendering different materials. Ter Borch's attention to these effects is demonstrated in a technical... more
Gerard Ter Borch was a painter with a decisive influence on 17th century genre painting. His paintings show an astonishing mastery at rendering different materials. Ter Borch's attention to these effects is demonstrated in a technical study of a recently discovered version of the Glass of Lemonade. The examination deals with the methods and materials that Ter Borch used to produce his paintings, accomplished by scientific analyses of the materials in the painting, and by the study of contemporary documentary evidence. Ter Borch repeatedly used the same compositional inventions and individual motifs: he assembled, varied, combined and copied these compositions on the basis of workshop cartoons. These compositional elements were mechanically transferred. Various methods of analytical chemistry, microscopy, spectrometry and chromatography were used to characterize the painting materials. Results of analyses are evaluated on the basis of some of Ter Borch's own paint recipes fro...
Many of the historical Jewish parchments had been treated with tanning agents in their process of manufacture. These tanning agents may have considerable influence on the physical stability of the parchment. Tanning materials were... more
Many of the historical Jewish parchments had been treated with tanning agents in their process of manufacture. These tanning agents may have considerable influence on the physical stability of the parchment. Tanning materials were examined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and in cross sections.
Rembrandt and his Circle, edited by Stephanie Dickey This collection brings together art historians, museum professionals, conservators, and conservation scientists whose work involves Rembrandt van Rijn and associated artists such as... more
Rembrandt and his Circle, edited by Stephanie Dickey
This collection brings together art historians, museum professionals, conservators, and conservation scientists whose work involves Rembrandt van Rijn and associated artists such as Gerrit Dou, Jan Lievens, and Ferdinand Bol. The range of subjects considered is wide: from the presentation of convincing evidence that Rembrandt and his contemporary Frans Hals rubbed elbows in the Amsterdam workshop of Hendrick Uylenburgh to critical reassessments of the role of printmaking in Rembrandt's studio, his competition with Lievens as a landscape painter, his reputation as a collector, and much more. Developed from a series of international conferences devoted to charting new directions in Rembrandt research, these essays illuminate the current state of Rembrandt studies and suggest avenues for future inquiry.
This collection brings together art historians, museum professionals, conservators, and conservation scientists whose work involves Rembrandt van Rijn and associated artists such as Gerrit Dou, Jan Lievens, and Ferdinand Bol. The range of subjects considered is wide: from the presentation of convincing evidence that Rembrandt and his contemporary Frans Hals rubbed elbows in the Amsterdam workshop of Hendrick Uylenburgh to critical reassessments of the role of printmaking in Rembrandt's studio, his competition with Lievens as a landscape painter, his reputation as a collector, and much more. Developed from a series of international conferences devoted to charting new directions in Rembrandt research, these essays illuminate the current state of Rembrandt studies and suggest avenues for future inquiry.