PREHISTORIC WALL PAINTINGS: THE CASE OF THE DOMUS DE JANAS NECROPOLIS (SARDINIA,ITALY)*

The Domus de Janas (Home of the Fairies, or Home of the Witches) are Neolithic hypogea located throughout Sardinia (Italy) and decorated with red and black wall paintings. The objective of this study was to define the painting technique through the analytical characterization of the pigments and binding media. Samples of painting film from different graves have been examined by means of various analytical techniques. XRD, Raman and SEM–EDX analyses identified the red and black pigments respectively as red ochre rich in hematite and carbon black, while GC–MS analyses characterized the organic binder as egg.     

Painted plaster from Bronze Age Thebes, Boeotia (Greece): a technological study

From the rather difficult excavations that have taken place in Thebes since the beginning of the last century, many fragmentary but often well-preserved paintings on plaster have been unearthed. These belong to several contexts and periods: House of Kadmos (Late Helladic IIIA), Treasury Room (Late Helladic IIIB1) and Oikopedon Spourli (Late Helladic III). Their iconography, style and technology fit well with other paintings from the Late Bronze Age sites found in the vicinity of Thebes (e.g. Gla and Orchomenos). This paper presents a technological study of the Bronze Age painted plaster from Thebes, Greece. The paintings were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction; stereo, reflected light and scanning electron microscopy; some by laser-induced breakdown spectrometry and by micro-Raman spectroscopy, in order to identify the pigments and the composition of the plaster layers, and to determine the painting technique(s) that the artisans may have employed. The plaster layer onto which the paint layer was applied was often the only layer and consisted mainly of calcite, while a clay plaster formed the backing between the lime plaster coat and the actual wall surface. The pigments identified were: yellow ochre, haematite (red), cuprorivaite (Egyptian blue), indigo and possibly riebeckite for blue, charcoal (black), calcite (white), and a combination of black and red for purple. A detailed macroscopic study of the painted surface revealed several features, which indicated that the technique of al fresco painting was employed extensively, a technique already in use since the start of the Late Minoan I phase on Crete. A generally lower level of quality in the appearance of the later paintings (Treasury Room and Oikopedon Spourli) was also noted, but this was not reflected in the materials used or in their overall manipulation.     

应用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)初探古代墓葬壁画胶结材料中的狗胶原蛋白

古代墓葬壁画颜料中的胶结材料成分研究是国内外考古界研究的热点方向之一。本研究针对我国北方公元5世纪墓葬壁画中红色、黑色和黄色壁画颜料样品,利用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA),对样品中的狗胶原蛋白浓度进行了分析测定。结果发现,红色干燥壁画颜料中含有狗胶原蛋白,含量为7.328mg/L,而黑色、黄色和红色湿润壁画颜料中均未检测到狗胶原蛋白成分。利用ELISA成功检测出我国古代壁画颜料中胶结材料成分。该检测方法可以直接、快速检测古代壁画胶结材料中动物胶原蛋白的种类。     

克孜尔石窟出土蓝色颜料研究

克孜尔石窟是蜚声中外的佛教艺术宝库,其丰富的历史文化遗存,是研究丝绸之路文化交流与融合的重要实物资料。为了解克孜尔石窟第189窟前发现的蓝色颜料,采用X射线衍射(XRD)对其成分进行分析,采用拉曼、扫描电镜能谱仪(SEM-EDS)将其与第189窟壁画蓝色样品的元素组成及物相进行对比,采用酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)、透射傅立叶红外光谱(FTIR)对其可能含有的胶结材料进行分析。结果表明,该出土蓝色颜料样品为青金石,胶结材料为植物胶。研究表明,通过多种分析手段联合使用,可以更全面、客观地了解分析对象的各种信息,为今后克孜尔石窟壁画制作材料及制作工艺的分析提供经验和借鉴。     

High-performance enrichment of casein and ovalbumin in wall painting with immunomagnetic beads

The detection of trace binding medium in wall paintings is usually challenging due to the aging and degradation of proteinaceous binding medium in a long time. Therefore, immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) with specific enrichment ability for casein and ovalbumin were prepared, and then the beads were applied for capturing target proteinaceous binding medium from ancient Chinese wall paintings. After optimization of experimental conditions, the enrichment performance of magnetic beads was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In this experiment, archaeological wall painting samples were used to verify the accuracy of the construction enrichment method. The results showed that the OD_450nm value of archaeological samples containing binding medium has increased to varying degrees after IMBs enrichment, effectively avoiding the occurrence of false negative results, indicating that the IMBs enrichment method developed in this work could be successfully applied for enriching ovalbumin and casein binding medium from ancient wall paintings for subsequently immunoassay detection.     

Characterization of organic media in the wall-paintings of the “Palace of Nestor” at Pylos,Greece: evidence for a secco painting techniques in the Bronze Age

This paper presents the results of an investigation of organic binding media detected in samples from the Mycenaean wall-paintings at the “Palace of Nestor” in Pylos (Western Messenia, Greece): samples dated from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1200 BC). This is the first scientific study to be conducted on organic binding media in Mycenanean painting, and it is a study that aims to contribute significantly towards our understanding of the original painting techniques used during the Bronze Age. The analytical procedures employed for the detection and characterization of the organic substances preserved within the paint layers (proteinaceous materials, lipids and plant gums), were based on chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques (PY–GC/MS, GC/MS). The most significant results, highlighting an a secco painting technique, are herein reported and discussed.     

广西宁明花山岩画颜料胶结材料分析研究

花山岩画是研究我国百越民族古代社会历史的重要资料。岩画颜料中胶结材料分析是判断岩画制作工艺、岩画颜料脱落、褪色原因以及岩画病害治理的重要依据。本工作利用三维视频显微镜和材料显微镜、红外光谱仪、激光拉曼光谱仪、气相色谱质谱仪(GC-MS)等,主要分析了花山岩画颜料胶结物成分。结果表明,岩画颜料胶结材料为植物性粘合剂;颜料样品中含有分布均匀的草酸钙,草酸钙的形成与颜料使用植物性粘合剂有关。     

Identification of Green Pigment Used in Persian Wall Paintings (ad 1501–1736) Using PLM,FT–IR,SEM/EDX and GC–MS Techniques

The technique of oil painting was introduced to Iran via a cultural exchange with Europe in the Safavid period (ad 1501–1736). Since the first attempt at scientific conservation of wall paintings in Iran in the 1960s, the nature of green pigment used in Persian wall paintings has not been clear, although work on contemporary miniature paintings has identified malachite and verdigris. PLM, FT–IR, SEM/EDX, GC–MS and the study of contemporary historical treatises of the Safavid period were the main tools used in the present study to identify the green pigments in Persian (oil‐based) wall paintings. Eight samples taken from the two famous Safavid buildings, Chehel Sotoon Palace and the Sukias House in Isfahan, were analysed. Here, the identification of copper‐based pigment and of verdigris in oil as oleate amends the existing knowledge of the green pigment used in these paintings. It also suggests that oleate was introduced to Persian artists via the European influence on Persian painting as a result of cultural exchange in the Safavid period, when the technique of Persian painting changed from tempera to oil painting. However, as verdigris in oil and resin can appear as oleate over time, it is unknown whether the Persian artists did this deliberately or accidentally.     

唐武惠妃墓出土疑似胶结材料的分析研究

为了确定武惠妃墓室内发现的黑色多孔块状物质是否为绘制壁画时使用的胶结材料,联合使用显微镜观察、SEM-EDS、Raman、FTIR和GC-FID多种分析方法对该物质进行了显微结构观察、元素组成及物质组成分析。结果表明,该物质虽已炭化,但内部仍可见一些较新鲜的胶料残留,其成分为动物胶,并在其中发现了少量红色朱砂颜料残留。通过古文献记载和以往研究成果讨论了结果的可靠性。该研究不仅丰富了唐代墓葬壁画绘制技艺的考古学研究,更可为后期文物保护材料和工艺的选择提供借鉴。     

延庆辽代墓葬壁画制作工艺及其颜料的物相鉴定

北京延庆发现一座辽代晚期的壁画砖室墓。为研究该墓室壁画结构和鉴定其颜料成分,运用拉曼光谱、X射线衍射和X射线荧光等多种方法进行了分析研究。结果表明该墓室壁画主要有灰泥层、白灰层和颜料层组成;红色颜料的呈色物相为α-Fe2O3,黑色颜料的呈色物相为炭黑。     

西藏拉萨大昭寺转经廊壁画制作工艺研究

古代壁画是一定时期政治、经济、文化、艺术和科技发展水平的物质反映,因此,利用现代科技分析手段提取其信息并将之与古代文献结合,则可逆推其制作工艺和判定其制作时间,进而确定其历史价值、科学价值和艺术价值,为艺术史研究和保护修复提供信息。本工作利用拉曼光谱(Raman)、偏光显微镜(PLM)、扫描电子显微镜与能谱仪(SEM-EDS)、红外光谱(FT-IR)和X射线衍射(XRD)在西藏大昭寺转经廊壁画样品分析中获取的信息,结合文献,确定西藏拉萨大昭寺转经廊壁画绘制于清代晚期至20世纪80年代之间。此幅壁画地仗使用了阿嘎土,与文献记载一致;白粉层使用立德粉、碳酸镁和方解石等,与文献记载用白胶浆或者黄胶浆相异。同时发现壁画颜料采用藏族传统绘画配色方法。     

西汉早期柿园墓四神云气图壁画保护研究（一）——历史与现状调查

壁画保护研究,多集中在正面的保护以及揭取方法和材料的选用。对壁画揭取选用材料性能的系统研究甚少。而对已揭取壁画的破坏与保护的研究更少。已揭取壁画的破坏包含壁画原有的破坏和揭取所用材料蜕变引发的破坏。已揭取壁画具有结构体系的复杂性和破坏类型的多样性,其破坏类型往往是交织在一起的。对此类壁画的保护修复应建立在全面调查、系统研究的理论框架上。其研究内容涉及多学科以及多类型材料和方法的综合运用,其调查内容,也须从壁画制作工艺、材料、环境、破坏类型、原有保护材料以及材料相互作用等方面界定。本工作对西汉早期柿园墓四神云气图壁画的历史状况和现状进行了全面调查。调查结果无疑对后续的研究、对认识壁画的破坏形式和性质具有重要的作用,更有助于实施对古代壁画的科学保护和修复。     

Characterization and origin of black and red Magdalenian pigments from Grottes de la Garenne (Vallée moyenne de la Creuse-France): a mineralogical and geochemical approach of the study of prehistorical paintings

Pigments sampled from wall paintings and from crayons taken on the floor, at the Grottes de la Garenne (Saint-Marcel – Indre, France) have been analyzed and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, Raman micro-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, ICP/MS and analytical TEM. The red pigment used for the wall paintings is mainly composed by hematite, clays, carbon matter and carbonates. Results on the red pigments show that the compositions of the paintings are similar to that of some crayons. Regarding these analyses, their origin is compatible with local siderolithic facieses. Analysis of black pigments shows that they are made of cryptomelane, pyrolusite, clays, carbonates and carbon matter. It shows also that paintings and some crayons compositions are compatible. On the contrary of red pigments, the origin of black pigments is probably allochtonous. Indeed, the traces of thallium detected in cryptomelane, the cerium anomaly and the absence of iron are not compatible with local facieses or other sites from the French Massif Central.     

Analytical study of Roman and Arabic wall paintings in the Patio De Banderas of Reales Alcazares’ Palace using non-destructive XRD/XRF and complementary techniques

A portable XRD/XRF system and complementary laboratory techniques were employed to improve the knowledge of the procedures used to create Roman and Arabic wall paintings. Integrated physico-chemical investigations were conducted on fragments of artworks collected from the archaeological excavation of the Patio de Banderas in the Reales Alcazares’ Palace of Seville (Spain), and a comparative study on the pigments from both historical periods was performed. As a result, pigments such as vermilion, red ochre, yellow ochre, green earth, Egyptian blue, carbon and phosphor-based black pigments were detected in Roman samples; however, in the Arabic fragments, only haematite was observed. In addition, the size and shape of the particles of the wall paintings were studied with an XRD 2-dimensional detector and SEM-EDX.     

古建油饰彩画的制作技术分析研究

为了对中国特有的古建油饰彩画制作技术加深了解,促进古建油饰彩画传统工艺科学化,采用X射线衍射仪、X射线荧光光谱仪、扫描电镜、体视显微镜等仪器对采自蒙古博格达汗宫博物馆、北京颐和园、甘肃嘉峪关、山西太符观等古代建筑的油饰彩画样品的制作技术进行了分析研究。结果表明,测试的样品分别采用了一麻五灰、一布四灰、单披灰等多种工艺制作地仗;麻纤维广泛应用于样品纤维层中,仅样品YHY-22使用了棉布;颐和园和博格达汉宫博物馆的样品以砖灰作为地仗无机填料,嘉峪关样品使用了白土粉,而山西古建样品则可能使用当地的土壤。可以得出结论:几个地区古建油饰彩画的制作材料和技术是有所不同的。     

Chardin et sonPhilosophe

Did “the old character, so intelligent, so crazy”, evoked by Marcel Proust through Chardin’s self-portraits, depict himself in the projective mask of the wise man, in one of his most famous paintings, thePhilosopher of the Louvre? As the master of the still life wanted to rise in the hierarchy of the Academic ranks, he probably tried, in this early work, to make up for “this lack of training” in “the humanities”, through the representation of a character in keeping with current tastes, of a modern philosopher. A Philosopher, A Chemist in his laboratory, A Glass-Blower, or A Philosopher busy reading: is the painting of the Louvre (1734) an emblem? Our hypothesis, that this painting represents a chemist philosopher, not a quack or an alchemist, is constructed by comparing the painting with the lampoon entitledThe Philosopher, circulated, according to Voltaire, in the 1730s.     

The Temple of Venus (Pompeii): a study of the pigments and painting techniques

We report here on a study of 57 fragments of wall painting excavated from the Temple of Venus (Pompeii). These samples were characterised by a wide range of analytical methods. Data showed that the palette is varied, although not so broad as that found in other buildings in Pompeii, and is consistent with pigments used elsewhere in Pompeii and in the Roman Empire. It is composed of: natural earths, minerals and rare artificial pigments. Paintings are made up of thin paint layers (0.01–0.10 mm thick) strongly adhering to the underlying preparation layer. Nonetheless, in some cases thicker layers (up to 0.40 mm) were recognised, often spread on other previous painting layers. Samples were also compared with the microstratigraphic criteria developed in Piovesan (2009) to distinguish wall painting techniques. This comparison demonstrated that both fresco and lime painting techniques were adopted.     

馆藏壁画的历史信息与现状调查

馆藏壁画是博物馆藏品中一类特殊的文物。在馆藏大召寺壁画、陕西唐墓壁画等现状调查研究的基础上,本文分析馆藏壁画区别于原址壁画的特殊性,并提出针对馆藏壁画特点进行历史信息与现状调查的内容框架。强调壁画揭取历史、修复史、搬运史和保存环境等历史信息的调查对于认知壁画的重要性：壁画的现状调查包括本体调查和病害调查两部分,能够帮助保护工作者以科学的视角综合评价壁画保存现状。本文分别论述调查各个方面的意义、具体内容和方法。调查结果无疑对于制定保护修复方案具有重要意义,为合理实施保护修复提供科学依据,并为后续研究和档案记录提供基础信息。