Probing the chemistry of CdS paints in The Scream by in situ noninvasive spectroscopies and synchrotron radiation x-ray techniques
Description
This paper has been published in Sciences Advances journal, Chemistry area, cited as follows:
Monico et al., Sci. Adv. 2020; 6 : eaay3514, 15 May 2020.
Abstract (English)
The degradation of cadmium sulfide (CdS)–based oil paints iin the iconic painting The Scream (ca. 1910) by Edvard Munch (Munch Museum, Oslo) is still poorly understood. The paper provides evidence for the presence of cadmium sulfate and sulfites as alteration products of the original CdS-based paint and explore the external circumstances and internal factors causing this transformation. Macroscale in situ noninvasive spectroscopy studies of the painting in combination with synchrotron-radiation x-ray microspectroscopy investigations of a microsample and artificially aged mock-ups show that moisture and mobile chlorine compounds are key factors for promoting the oxidation of CdS, while light (photodegradation) plays a less important role.
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Additional details
- Research focus Title
- Cd yellow fading using mock-ups
- Research focus Category
- Object/mockup
- Research focus Description
The degradation of cadmium sulfide (CdS)–based oil paints is a phenomenon potentially threatening the iconic paintning The Scream (ca. 1910) by Edvard Munch (Munch Museum, Oslo) that is still poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence for the presence of cadmium sulfate and sulfites as alteration products of the original CdS-based paint and explore the external circumstances and internal factors causing this transformation. Macroscale in situ noninvasive spectroscopy studies of the painting in combination with synchrotron-radiation x-ray microspectroscopy investigations of a microsample and artificially aged mock-ups show that moisture and mobile chlorine compounds are key factors for promoting the oxidation of CdS, while light (photodegradation) plays a less important role.
- Research Activity Type
- Object Examination/Colour change detection
- Technique
- X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy
- Technique Category
- 2D imaging/Hyperspectral (HSI)
- Object Examination Scale
- Macro
- Examination Class or Type
- Other