Abstract
In this work non-invasive reflection infrared spectroscopy was used to discriminate between different Cu-based green pigments (namely, malachite, verdigris, chrysocolla, emerald green and phthalo green). The pigments, chosen because of their historical widespread use in artworks, were investigated as pure powders and in situ on painted models by reflection FTIR spectroscopy. The distortion arising as a result of the specular and diffuse component of reflected radiation was evaluated as function of the optical and surface properties of the investigated mock-ups. Use of the Kramers–Kronig (KK) algorithm to correct for the distortion arising from the surface reflection gave k index maxima shifted by more than 20 cm−1 relative to those obtained in conventional transmission mode. These findings stress the need to carefully manage use of the KK algorithm on reflection spectra to avoid erroneous assignment. On the other hand, combination and overtone bands (which are enhanced by the diffuse reflection) were proved to enable reliable and sensitive identification of most of the pigments studied. Knowledge acquired by study of pure compounds and painted models was subsequently applied to interpret the spectra acquired from paintings and manuscripts.










Similar content being viewed by others
References
Miliani C, Rosi F, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A (2010) Acc Chem Res 43:728–738
Clementi C, Ciocan V, Vagnini M, Doherty B, Laurenzi Tabasso M, Conti C, Brunetti BG, Miliani C (2011) Anal Bioanal Chem 401:1815–1826
Van der Snickt G, Miliani C, Janssens K, Brunetti BG, Romani A, Rosi F, Walter P, Castaing J, De Nolf W, Klaassen L, Labarque I, Wittermann R (2011) J Anal At Spectrom 26:2216–2229
Aceto M, Agostino A, Fenoglio G, Gulmini M, Bianco V, Pellizzi E (2012) Spectrochim Acta A 91:352–359
Colomban P, Tournié A, Caggiani MC, Paris C (2012) J Raman Spectrosc. doi:10.1002/jrs.4101
Delaney JK, Zeibel JG, Thoury M, Littleton R, Palmer M, Morales KM, de la Rie ER, Hoenigswald A (2010) Appl Spectrosc 64:584–594
Rosi F, Miliani C, Clementi C, Kahrim K, Presciutti F, Vagnini M, Manuali V, Daveri A, Cartechini L, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A (2010) Appl Phys A 100:613–624
Bacci M, Casini A, Cucci C, Picollo M, Radicati B, Vervat M (2003) J Cult Herit 4:329–336
Rosi F, Manuali V, Grygar T, Bezdicka P, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A, Burgio L, Seccaroni C, Miliani C (2011) J Raman Spectrosc 42:407–414
Schmidt CM, Trentelman KA (2009) PS 6:10–21
Deneckere A, Leeflang M, Bloem M, Chavannes Mazel CA, Vekemans B, Vincze L, Vandenabeele P, Moens L (2011) Spectrochim Acta A 83:194–199
Miliani C, Doherty B, Daveri A, Loesch A, Ulbricht H, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A (2009) Spectrochim Acta A 73:587–592
Duran A, Perez-Rodriguez JL, Espejo T, Franquelo ML, Castaing J, Walter P (2009) Anal Bioanal Chem 395:1997–2004
Irazola M, Olivares M, Castro K, Maguregui M, Martínez-Arkarazo I, Madariaga JM (2012) J Raman Spectrosc. doi:10.1002/jrs.4036
Vandenabeele P, Lambert K, Matthys S, Schudel W, Bergmans A, Moens L (2005) Anal Bioanal Chem 383:707–712
Gettens RJ (1993) In: West Fitzhugh E, Roy A (eds) Artists‘ Pigment—A handbook of their history and characteristics vol. 2. National Gallery of Art of Washington in association with Oxford University Press, New York, London, pp 183–202
Kunn H (1993) In: Roy A (ed) Artists‘ Pigment—A handbook of their history and characteristics vol. 2. National Gallery of Art of Washington in association with Oxford University Press, New York, London, pp 131–158
Eastaugh N, Walsh V, Chaplin T, Siddall R (2004) Pigment compendium—A dictionary and optical microscopy of historical pigments. Elsevier, Elsevier Butterworth–Heinemann, Oxford
Fiedler I, Bayard M (1997) In: West Fitzhugh E (ed) Artists‘ Pigment—A handbook of their history and characteristics vol. 3. National Gallery of Art of Washington in association with Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford, pp 219–293
Miliani C, Rosi F, Daveri A, Brunetti BG (2012) Appl Phys A 106:295–307
Griffiths P, De Haseth JA (2007) Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York
Rosi F, Daveri A, Doherty B, Nazzareni S, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A, Miliani C (2010) Appl Spectrosc 64:956–963
Vetter W, Schreiner M (2011) PS 8:10–22
Poli T, Chiantore O, Nervo M, Piccirillo A (2011) Anal Bioanal Chem 400:1161–1171
Ricci C, Miliani C, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A (2006) Talanta 6:1221–1226
Li D, Peng Z, Deng L, Shen Y, Zhou Y (2005) Vib Spectrosc 39:191–199
Barszcz B, Bogucki A, Biadasz A, Bursa B, Wrobel D, Graja A (2011) J Photochem Photobiol A 218:48–57
Cartechini L, Miliani C, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A, Altavilla C, Ciliberto E, D’Acapito F (2008) Appl Phys A 92:243–250
Musumeci A, Frost RL (2007) Spectrochim Acta A 67:48–57
Korte EH, Röseler A (2005) Anal Bioanal Chem 382:1987–1992
Miliani C, Rosi F, Borgia I, Brunetti BG, Sgamellotti A (2007) Appl Spectrosc 61:293–299
Gunn M, Chottard G, Riviere E, Girerd J, Chottard J (2002) Stud Conserv 47:12–23
Cutts H, Harrison L, Higgitt C, Cruickshank P (2010) Brit Mus Tech Res Bull 4:1–17
Robinet L, Corbeil MC (2003) Stud Conserv 48:23–40
Favaro M, Vigato PA, Andreotti A, Colombini MP (2005) J Cult Herit 6:295–305
Salvado N, Butı S, Tobin MJ, Pantos E, Prag AJNW, Pradell T (2005) Anal Chem 77:3444–3451
Salvado N, Buti S, Nicholson J, Emerich H, Labrador A, Pradelle T (2009) Talanta 79:419–428
Spring M, Higgitt C (2006) In: Nadolny J (ed) Medieval painting in Northern Europe: Techniques, analysis, art history. Archetypes Publication, London, pp 223–229
Nevin A, Loring Meli J, Osticioli I, Gautier G, Colombini MP (2008) J Cult Herit 9:154–161
Mendes N, Lofrumento C, Migliori A, Castellucci EM (2008) J Raman Spectrosc 39:289–294
Acknowledgments
The EU programmes Eu-ARTECH (FP6, http://www.eu-artech.org) and CHARISMA (FP7, http://www.charismaproject.eu) and the Italian MIUR (PRIN08, Materiali e sistemi innovativi per la conservazione dell'arte contemporanea 2008 FFXXN9) are acknowledged for financial support. Thanks are expressed to the staff of the British Museum, Palazzo Corsini, Putna Monastery, Museo del Novecento, Conservation Studies, Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History (University of Oslo), and Sovrintendenza per i Beni Artistici Storici ed Etnoantropologici dell’Umbria for agreeable cooperation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buti, D., Rosi, F., Brunetti, B.G. et al. In-situ identification of copper-based green pigments on paintings and manuscripts by reflection FTIR. Anal Bioanal Chem 405, 2699–2711 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-013-6707-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-013-6707-6