Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ws8qp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-18T01:54:53.063Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

False Color and Infrared Imaging for the Identification of Pigments in Paintings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2014

Dulce María Aguilar-Téllez*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico DF 04510, Mexico.
José Luis Ruvalcaba-Sil
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico DF 04510, Mexico.
Pieterjan Claes
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico DF 04510, Mexico.
Diana González-González
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico DF 04510, Mexico.
Get access

Abstract

In the study of cultural heritage, most of the analytical techniques are point-specific or give information about small areas of the object. Therefore it is essential to obtain an overview of which points are suitable for these further investigations. To fulfill this, a first imaging study is the best way to proceed. Hereby, we can record the entire piece at once and observe the behavior and relation between different materials of the object. Various types of light can be used to obtain a selection of images and consequently also different information about the artifacts. Among them, infrared (IR) photography can be used as a first analysis, for instance, to reveal the pigments’ response upon interaction with IR radiation.

In following we will present results obtained via IR video-photography on a selection of painted objects from the Mexican cultural heritage. These items are analyzed by False Color procedure, where colors are assigned to every grey tone of the pure IR photo. Hereby it is possible to distinguish between certain pigments on the painted surface.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Dorrell, P.G., Photography in Archaeology and Conservation, Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1994), p. 266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buettner-Janusch, J., American Antiquity 20, 8487(1954).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deuel, L., Flights into Yesterday: The Story of Aerial Archaeology, (St. Martin's Press, New York, 1969), p. 332.Google Scholar
Gumerman, G.J., Lyons, T. R., Science 172, 126132 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gumerman, G.J., NeelyAn, J. A., American Antiquity 37, 520527 (1972).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hirsch, E. S., Archaeology 28, 260266 (1975).Google Scholar
Verhoeven, Geert J., Journal of Archaeological Science 37, 833845 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alvrus, A., Wright, D., and Merbs, C. F., "Examination of Tattoos on Mummified Tissue using Infra-red Reflectography", Journal of Archaeological Science 28, 395400 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrewa, S. R., Eastopb, D., The Conservator 18, 5056 (1994).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baldiaa, C. M., Journal of Archaeological Science 34, 519525 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schiffman, L.H., Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls, the History of Judaism, the Background of Christianity, the Lost Library of Qumran, (Anchor Bible, New York, 1995), p. 560.Google Scholar
Chabries, D. M., Booras, S. W., and Bearman, G. H., Antiquity 77, 359372 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zetina, S., Ruvalcaba, J. L., Falcón, T., Hernández, E., González, C., Arroyo, E., and López, M., "Painting Syncretism: A Non-Destructive Analysis of the Badiano Codex", Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on NDT of Art, Jerusalem, Israel, (2008). (http://www.ndt.net/article/art2008/papers/121Ruvalcaba.pdf)Google Scholar
Zetina, S., Ruvalcaba, J. L., Lopez Cáceres, M., Falcón, T., Hernández, E., González, C., and Arroyo, E., " Non destructive in situ study of Mexican codices: methodology and first results of materials analysis for the Colombino and Azoyu codices " in Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Archaeometry 13th - 16th May 2008, Siena, Italy, ed. Turbanti-Memmi, I., (Springer, XLV, Heildelberg 2011) p. 349354.Google Scholar
Aldrovandi, A., Picollo, M., Metodi di Documentazione e Indagini non Invasive sui Dipinti (Collana i Talenti, Il Prato, Padova, 1999) p. 67110.Google Scholar
Poldi, G., Villa, G.C.F., Dalla Conservazione alla Storia dell’Arte, Riflettografia e Analisi non Invasive per lo Studio dei Dipinti, (Edizioni della Normale, Pisa, 2006) p. 614.Google Scholar
Pitzalis, D., Cassan, I., Thomas, L., and Gianoncelli, A., "Non-Destructive Analysis for Modern Paintings: The Russian Avant-Garde Case", Proceedings 9th International Conference on NDT of Art (ART 2008), Jerusalem, Israel, (2008).(http://www.ndt.net/article/art2008/papers/175Cassan.pdf)Google Scholar
Castro, F., Pelosi, C., "Study of Wall Paintings and Mosaics by means of Ultraviolet Fluorescence and False Colour Infrared Photography", Proceedings of the International Meeting YOCOCU YOuth in COnservation of CUltural Heritage, Rome, Italy, 2008.Google Scholar
Weiner, C., Improved Acquisition Technique of Underdrawings in Oil-Paintings Using IR-Reflectography, Thesis, Center for Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY ( 1998).Google Scholar
Dietz, C., Catanzariti, G., and Martínez, A. J., e-conservation magazine 18, 3242 (2011).Google Scholar
Moon, T., Schilling, M. R., and Thirkettle, S., Studies in Conservation 37, 4252 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mazzeo, R., Palazzi, C. E., Roccetti, M., Sciutto, G., Computer-Assisted Pigment Identification in Artworks", Proceedings of the IASTED European Conference: internet and multimedia systems and applications, ACTA Press Anaheim, California, p. 266271 (2007).Google Scholar
Buoso, M.C., Ceccato, D., and Zafiropoulos, D., "False-Color InfraRed Photography in the Identification of Pigments Used for a Late 13th Century Illuminated Manuscript",, eds. Spolaore, P., Carturan, S., Cinausero, M., Esposito, J., Ruoso, G., and D’Este, A., LNL Annual Report, Applied and Interdisciplinary Physics Instrumentation, (2009).Google Scholar
Cavaleri, T., Croveri, P., "Spectrophotometric Analysis for Pigment Palette Identification: The Case of “Profeta Stante”, Proceedings of the Int. Conf. on Non-Destructive Investigations and Microanalysis for the Diagnostics and Conservation of Cultural and Environmental Heritage, Florence, Italy (2011).Google Scholar
Barnes, D. F., "Infrared Luminescence of Minerals", US Goverment Printing Office, Washington, D.C (1958).Google Scholar
Bridgman, C. F., Gibson, H. L., Studies in Conservation 8, 7783 (1963).Google Scholar
Gibson, H. L., Medical and Biological Illustration 13, 1826 (1963).Google Scholar
Bridgman, C. F., Gibson, H. L., Studies in Conservation 8, 7783 (1963).Google Scholar
Hoeniger, C., Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 30, 115124 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verhoeven, G., Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 30873100 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Asperen de Boer, J. R. J., Studies in Conservation 14, 96118 (1969).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arroyo, E., Zetina, S., Hernández, E., Falcón, T., Ruvalcaba, J. L., Mancilla, L., and Nieto, A., "XVI Century Colonial Panel Paintings from New Spain: Material Reference Standards And Non-Destructive Analysis of Mexican Retablos", Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on NDT of Art, Jerusalem, Israel, pp. 25–30 (2008). (http://www.ndt.net/article/art2008/papers/167Zetina.pdf)Google Scholar
Saunders, D., Billinge, R., Cupitt, J., Atkinson, N., and Liang, H., Studies in Conservation 51, 277290 (2006).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sony, Exmor R- Back-illuminated CMOS Sensor (Sony's technology highlights, Solid-state Image sensor), (www.sony.net/SonyInfo/technology/technology/theme/exmor_r_01.html).Google Scholar
Ruvalcaba, J.L., Ramírez, D., Aguilar, V., Picazo, F., X-ray Spectrometry 39, 338345 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruvalcaba Sil, J.L., Grediaga, M., Gonzalez Tirado, C., Hernandez Vazquez, E., Aguilar Melo, V., Ramírez Miranda, D., Espinosa Pesqueira, M., in Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology IX, Vandiver, P., Li, W.,.Ruvalcaba-Sil, J.L., Reedy, Ch., Frame, L. eds., (Materials Research Society Proceedings 1319, Cambrigde University Press, NewYork, 2011), p. 249264.Google Scholar
Sánchez Morton, L.S., ,Thesis on Archaeology, Escuela Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Mexico, (2012).Google Scholar
Magaloni, D., "El espacio pictórico teotihucacano, tradición y técnica", in La pintura mural prehispánica en Mexico I, Teotihuacan, Estudios, B. de la Fuente coord., (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, México, 2001), p. 187225.Google Scholar
Martínez García, C. C., Ruvalcaba Sil, J.L., Manzanilla Naim, L, Riquelme, F., "Teopancazco y su pintura. Aplicación de técnicas analíticas PIXE, MEB-EDX, DRX, FTIR, y Raman" in Estudios Arqueométricos del centro de barrio de Teopancazco en Teotihuacan, Manzanilla, L. ed., (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Coordinación de la Investigación Científica, Coordinación de Humanidades, Mexico, 2012), p. 165210.Google Scholar