Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (9) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Aze, S. Articles by Grauby, O. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

The fading of red lead pigment in wall paintings: tracking the physico-chemical transformations by means of complementary micro-analysis techniques

¹ Laboratoire du Centre Interrégional de Conservation et Restauration du Patrimoine (CICRP) 21 rue Guibal, F-13003 Marseille, France
² Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Condensée et les Nanomatériaux (CRMCN-CNRS), Campus de Luminy, F-13288 Marseille cedex 9, France

^* E-mail: sebastien.aze{at}cicrp.fr

The phenomenon of red lead pigment fading in wall paintings was investigated through the study of an experimental fresco painting. Chemical modifications of the pigment induced a local fading of the pictorial layer after a 25-years natural ageing period. Representative features of the alteration phases, including composition and structural information, were obtained by applying complementary micro-analysis techniques to the study of a single paint sample. Focused X-ray diffraction patterns of small areas were collected using a highly sensitive detector, revealing the transformation of red lead pigment into both cerussite (lead carbonate) and anglesite (lead sulphate). The distribution of Pb, S, O and Ca elements within the cross-section was established using electron micro-probe analysis, and correlated to micro-Raman semi-quantitative mappings of minium (Pb₃O₄), cerussite (PbCO₃), anglesite (PbSO₄) and calcite (CaCO₃) phases. The micro-structural characteristics of each lead-containing phase were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy observations of the sample cross-section using backscattered electron imaging. The major role of atmospheric pollutants (SO₂, CO₂), together with water condensation on such a red pigment fading is emphasised.

Key-words: chromatic alteration, red lead, experimental fresco painting, natural ageing, micro-analysis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Aze, J.-M. Vallet, M. Pomey, A. Baronnet, and O. Grauby Red lead darkening in wall paintings: natural ageing of experimental wall paintings versus artificial ageing tests European Journal of Mineralogy, December 1, 2007; 19(6): 883 - 890. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]