Gloss paints in late paintings by Francis Picabia: a multi-analytical study

Maria Kokkori; Marie Odile Hubert; Nathalie Balcar; Gilles Barabant; Ken Sutherland; Francesca Casadio

doi:10.1007/s00339-015-9532-2

Gloss paints in late paintings by Francis Picabia: a multi-analytical study

Maria Kokkori^*, Marie Odile Hubert, Nathalie Balcar, Gilles Barabant, Ken Sutherland, Francesca Casadio

^*Corresponding author for this work

MRC - Materials Research Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, a multi-analytical approach for the study of the materials used by Francis Picabia in two paintings dating from 1949 and 1950 is reported, with a particular reference to the possible use of enamel paints. The study is complemented by analysis of paints that had the appearance of glossy enamel sampled from the artist’s easel in the collection of the Comité Francis Picabia. Analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry with thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM-Py-GCMS) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that only few paints match the composition of historical reference samples of Ripolin enamels, while the majority of the glossy paints sampled likely consist of mixtures of binders and varnishes made by the artist. This study confirms the importance of scientific testing and comparison with reference materials, when determining artists’ use of enamel paints. Results should be interpreted in the context of documentary/historical evidence, for a more informed characterization of oleoresinous paint media.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	16
Pages (from-to)	1-11
Number of pages	11
Journal	Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing
Volume	122
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9532-2
State	Published - Jan 1 2016

Funding

The Grainger Foundation, the Stockman Family Foundation, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the Comité Francis Picabia, Paris, and Musée bibliothèque Pierre-André Benoit are all thanked for support. This work made use of the EPIC facility (NUANCE Center-Northwestern University), which has received support from the MRSEC program (NSF DMR-1121262) at the Materials Research Center; the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSF EEC–0647560) at the International Institute for Nanotechnology; and the State of Illinois, through the International Institute for Nanotechnology.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Materials Science

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abstract = "In this paper, a multi-analytical approach for the study of the materials used by Francis Picabia in two paintings dating from 1949 and 1950 is reported, with a particular reference to the possible use of enamel paints. The study is complemented by analysis of paints that had the appearance of glossy enamel sampled from the artist{\textquoteright}s easel in the collection of the Comit{\'e} Francis Picabia. Analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry with thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM-Py-GCMS) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that only few paints match the composition of historical reference samples of Ripolin enamels, while the majority of the glossy paints sampled likely consist of mixtures of binders and varnishes made by the artist. This study confirms the importance of scientific testing and comparison with reference materials, when determining artists{\textquoteright} use of enamel paints. Results should be interpreted in the context of documentary/historical evidence, for a more informed characterization of oleoresinous paint media.",

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Gloss paints in late paintings by Francis Picabia: a multi-analytical study

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