WS6: Direct artwork structural diagnosis using optical coherent interferometry techniques

PAINTINGS

Dr Eleni Kouloumpi
Conservation Scientist
Laboratory of Physicochemical Research
National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum,
Greece
GREECE
Pitsa panels - , circa 540-530 BC – National Archaeological museum, Greece
6th c. BC representation of an animal sacrifice scene in Corinth.
 “Portrait of a young man”
Fayoum Funerary Portrait, 2nd c. B.C.,
British Museum
 “Jesus Christ the Pantokrator”
1st half of 6th c., Sinai Monastery
The Ghent Altarpiece by Jan Van Eyck and his brothers, 1432. A large altarpiece on panel. The
outer wings are hinged, and painted on both sides.
 “St George”
18th c., N. Kantounis
Byzantine & Christian Museum
ICON PAINTING
TECHNIQUE
 ICON PAINTING TECHNIQUE

Layer of gold Varnish

Paint layers
(pigments + binding medium)

Layer of animal glue

Gesso ground
Layer of animal glue
Textile

Layer of bole Wooden substrate

 Factors of Deterioration
• Environmental • Physical & chemical
conditions (i.e. properties of
Humidity, materials
Temperature, Light,
UV radiation) • Difference in the
• Natural defects of behaviour of layers
materials • Wrong choice or use
• Biological attack of materials
• Improper treatments
It is important to know that all layers interact
with each other!! So whatever happens to
one layer will result to defect production to
the other..
 Canvas Painting

Cross section of canvas painting

How can we document these problems?
Do we know the evolution of the crack?
Is this active?
ANALYTICAL & STRUCTURAL
DIAGNOSIS METHODS
 Types of methods

Invasive Non-invasive

Contact Non-contact

Destructive Non-destructive

Qualitative Quantitative
 Pigments

The mineral Pigment: cinnabar

The mineral Pigment: Lead white

 From time to time, panel painters used a variety of
materials...

Gum arabic Casein

Egg yolk
Binding media
 Drying oils

Linum usitatissum
Linseed oil

Walnut oil and pigments

The wooden substrate
 Analytical Methods used in Conservation Science

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, AAS

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, AES

Flame Emission Spectroscopy, FES

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, FTIR

Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry, GC/MS

Gas Chromatography, GC

High Pressure Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry, HPLC/MS

High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, HPLC

Imaging Techniques

Inductive Coupled Plasma, ICP

Ion Exchange Chromatography

Microscopic Analysis

Neutron Activation Analysis, NAA

Raman Spectrometry

Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis, SEM/EDX

Thermogravimetric Analysis, TGA

UV/Vis

X-ray Diffraction, XRD

X-ray Fluorescence, XRF
 A TYPICAL ANALYTICAL SCHEME FOR THE
RESYNTHESIS OF THE ARTISTS TECHNIQUE

Imaging techniques Detection of hidden

elements

Cross-section & Stratigraphy & indication

microchemical tests of materials present

Elemental technique
(SEM-EDX) pigments

Molecular technique
(FTIR, Raman) pigments + medium

Separation method
medium
(GC, HPLC)
Structural diagnosis
 The traditional Radiography (X-rays)

Detects:
• Under-paintings
• Cracks
• Knots
• Nails
• Damage produced by
wood-boring insects
Does not detect:
• Voids
• Detachments
• Inborn defects
• Evolving defects
 Axial tomography

Gives local information in

cross-section form. It detects:
•Cracks
•Knots
•Detachments
•Condition of the layers
Does not detect:
•Active defects
 Thermographic methods
ND method.
It extracts data from the heat
dissipation dynamics after a
sample is being irradiated by the
external source (nearIR). The
dynamics is studied by means of
a time sequence of images
captured by a thermal camera.
The principle of the method is
that the cooling rate is faster for
sound areas than for damaged
areas of the painting. This
dynamic difference (i.e. the
thermal contrast) provides
information about location and
shape of defects.
Pros
• Gives information about the
structure and the
preservation state of the
panel painting
Cons
• It is not always easy to
relate effects to
detachments since other
parameters like the
reflectivity of the surface or
the spatial distribution of
humidity may influence the
results
• Low resolution
 Acoustic methods (SAM, ACU)

ND method. Pros
The acoustic response from • Identifies inhomogeneities
the surface can be recorded such as detachments,
electronically and interpreted cavities, hollows or
inclusions
by electronic signal analysis.
The information is obtained Cons
point by point and can be • Detachments of very thin
extended into two-dimensional layers is difficult to detect
information by mapping at a
grid of measuring points.
Since the spatial resolution is
governed by the sound
wavelength it is of advantage
to use ultrasound.
 Full Field Interferometry
It is a non-destructive, non-
invasive, non-contact indirect
method, which responds only
to a change in the surface
profile when a thermal load is
applied. Video data from the
surface under laser
illumination are evaluated and
compared.
Pros
• High sensitivity
• Detects location and size of
defects
• Identifies inhomogeneities
such as detachments,
cavities or inclusions
• Detects active hidden and
inborn evolving defects
• Offers a whole-field
mapping of the vibration
amplitude in the panel
painting
Cons
• Easily disturbed by external
vibrations
End of part 1…