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Comment
. 2009 Sep 8;106(36):15095-6.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.0907727106. Epub 2009 Sep 1.

An improved method for identifying red lakes on art and historical artifacts

Barbara H Berrie  1
Affiliations
Comment

An improved method for identifying red lakes on art and historical artifacts

Barbara H Berrie. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1505/1510 by Giorgione (1477/1478–1510) from the Samuel H. Kress Collection 1939.1.289, National Gallery of Art. (Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.)
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Detail from The Adoration of the Shepherds. A cross-section from a deep shadow on the Virgin's blue mantle shows that the mantle was painted over deep translucent red paint, and folds in the drapery were depicted by glazing with a purple paint mixed from the blue and red pigments. The purple is now discolored because of photo-degradation of the red pigment. The inorganic pigments ultramarine and lead white are easily identified, but the red could be one of several anthraquinone-based pigments. With a microspatula it is possible to remove enough sample from the red layer for analysis by using the SERRS technique described by Leona (1) while preserving the cross-section for further study with other methods. The dye used here to make the red lake is kermes. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy indicates the extracted colorant was made insoluble by complexation with aluminum.
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Comment on

References

    1. Leona M. Microanalysis of organic pigments and glazes in polychrome works of art by surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2009;106:14757–14762. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kirby J, White R. The identification of red lake pigment dyestuffs and a discussion of their use. Natl Gallery Tech Bull. 1996;17:56–80.
    1. Wouters J. Possible future developments in the analysis of organic dyes. Dyes History Archaeol. 2005;20:23–29.
    1. Clementi C, et al. Vibrational and electronic properties of painting lakes. Appl Phys A. 2008;92:25–33.
    1. Verri G, Clementi C, Cornelli D, Cather S, Piqué F. Correction of ultraviolet-induced fluorescence spectra for the examination of polychromy. Appl Spectrosc. 2009;62:1295–1302. - PubMed

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