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Rubens and Aguilonius. It contains several references to his
treatise and evidently forms an illustration of the theory
behind blue-hued scattering. This painting is currently the
object of further investigations by the author.
5. DISCOLOURATION DUE TO AGING: Blue-hued
scattering is suspected to be strongly affected by aging
processes. The yellowing of binding media could cause
extinction of blue-hued scattering. This degradation
process is caused by fluorescence, but also by increased
light-absorption with the shortening of wavelengths of
light. The latest would cause an off-setting of visible
spectrum observed in cases of blue-hued scattering. On
the other hand, an increase in the refractive index of the
binding medium would have a strong effect when blue-
hued scattering is obtained by overlapping paint layers
(model 2). The accurate balance between scattered and
absorbed light depending on wavelengths would be
broken. Reflected light would tend more to the colour of
the underlying layer than to a blue hue. Eventually,
degradation due to lead saponification has dramatic effects.
Lead saponification causes progressive consumption of
pigment particles. The size reduction is faster by smaller
particles, which disappear first. The consequent
disappearance of particles causing wavelength-dependent
scattering leads to the extinction of blue-hued scattering.
Identification of discolouration cases in painting is crucial
to our understanding of 17
th
century paintings. Estimation
of the discolouration levels will be the main goal of the
future researches related to blue-hued scattering.
6. CONCLUSION: Painters of the Flemish Baroque period
and Dutch Golden Age used wavelength-dependent
scattering to create blue hues. The related painting effects
lead to the obtainment of vivid colours or colours
reproducing similar natural phenomena. Confronting
physical theory with analysis of Dutch Golden Age
paintings rendered possible a preliminary evaluation of the
technical knowledge reached by the painters. It already
clearly appears that this is higher than what is commonly
thought. It is arguable that the techniques were part of the
secrets transmitted from one artist to another. This could
be the reason why their knowledge has progressively been
forgotten with time. Rubens is suspected to have paid
particular attention to the understanding of the physical
phenomenon and to have used the painting Juno and Argos
as an illustration of it. Several aging phenomena are
suspected to lead to its extinction. Since blue-hued
scattering has never been thoroughly investigated before,
its survey is still at a very early stage. Further researches
are already planned and will require an interdisciplinary
approach.
REFERENCES:
[1] The phenomenon is usually referred to as optical blue,
opalescence, turbid medium effect or undertone of the
pigment.
[2] Painted in 1609-1610, National Gallery of London.
[3] Information obtained from SEM-bse images, by using particle
size distribution analysis software. Particles were considered as
spherical by simplification.
[4] The refractive index of the pigment divided by that of the
binding medium.
[5] Painted after 1608 and before 1611, Wallraf-Richartz Museum
(Cologne).
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445
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Aguilonius, F., Opticorum Libri Sex philosophis iuxta ac mathematicis
utiles, Officina Plantiniana, 1613.
Boon, J.J., Weerd, J. van der, Keune, K., Noble, P. and Wadum, J.
(2002). Mechanical and chemical changes in Old Master paintings:
dissolution, metal soap formation and remineralisation process in
lead pigmented ground/intermediate paint layers of the 17
th
century paintings ICOM-CC 13
th
Triennial Meeting Preprints:
401-406, James and James.
Debnath, N.C. and Kotkar, D.D. (1998). Theoretical studies of
light scattering power European Coatings Journal (n.4): 264-269
Herdan, G. (1960). Small particle statistics, Butterworths.
Hulst, H.C. van de (1981). Light scattering by small particles, Dover
publications.
Johnston-Feller, R. (2001). Color Science in the Examination of
Museum Objects, The Getty Conservation Institute.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
This article has been rendered possible through the courtesy and
kind support of Dr. Patrick Johnson, from the Photon Scattering
Group at the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter
FOM (Amsterdam), Dr. Klaas Jan van den Berg,
Dr. Ineke Joosten, Dr. Margriet van Eikema Hommes and
Dr. Luc Megens from the Netherlands Institute for Cultural
Heritage (ICN), Maartje Witlox from the University of
Amsterdam (UvA), Jessica Roeders from the Frans Hals Museum
(Haarlem), Dr. Petria Noble and Dr. Annelies van Loon from
the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis (The Hague) and
Dr. Ashok Roy from the National Gallery of London.
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