On-site contactless surface analysis of modern paintings by reflectance FTIR and Raman

What is it about?

Seven artworks representing the diversity of paints used around the 1960s and created by German and Italian painters (J. Albers, A. Bonalumi, L. Boille, T. Scialoja and M. Schifano) were studied on-site at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (Rome) with mobile instruments. We present a methodology based on Specular Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) adapted to unvarnished paintings. Complementary measurements have been performed by Raman spectroscopy. Characteristic bands regarding as-recorded infrared reflectance spectra and Kramers-Kronig Transformation-converted absorbance spectra are identified according to literature and reference spectra recorded on representative commercially available paints. To distinguish the different binders by SR-FTIR, we propose spectroscopic markers as the comparison of the intensity of carbonyl band around 1730-1735 cm−1 with bands at ~1160 (for acrylic), ~1230 (for PVAc), and 1270 cm−1 (for alkyds). On the other hand, oil/resin binders are characterized by intense and thin νCH2, νCH3 IR absorption bands around 2920-2850 cm−1, combined with an intense 1260 cm−1 band and a characteristic concave cradle shape (between ca. 1750 and 1260 cm−1). The results obtained establish the relevance of the implemented mobile non-invasive infrared spectroscopy analytical approach by successfully identifying acrylic, vinylic, oil media and enamel paints, with or without opacifiers, which is supplemented by Raman analyses for pigment identification.

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