Page - 209 - in The Vienna Genesis - Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
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Text of the Page - 209 -
Hofmann, Rabitsch, Malissa, Aceto, Uhlir, Griesser, CalΓ , Agostino, Fenoglio 209
Colour Pigments Painters Folios, pages
Lead white, indigo, ultramarine blue, Egyptian
blue D, E f 15β16 (p 29β32), f 17β18 (p 33β36)
Lead white, indigo F f 19β22 (p 37β44)
Lead white, indigo, ultramarine blue, azurite F, G f 19β22 (p 37β44), f 23β24, (p
45β48)
Black Carbon black A, B, C, F f 1β8 (p 1β16), f 9β10 (p 17β20), f
11β14 (p 21β28), f 19β22 (p 37β44)
Iron gall ink D f 15β16 (p 29β32)
Carbon black, iron gall ink A, B, E f 1β8 (p 1β16), f 9β10 (p 17β20), f
17β18 (p 33β36)
Carbon black, brown earth pigment F, G f 19β22 (p 37β44), f 23β24 (p 45β48)
Gold Gold A, D, F, G f 1β8 (p 1β16), f 15β16 (p 29β32), f
19β22 (p 37β44), f 23β24 (p 45β48)
Palette of Painter A: folios 1β8, pages 1β16
Painter A illustrated the biblical text from the fall of Adam and Eve in paradise to Isaac
and Rebecca in the Philistine city of Gerar (Genesis 3, 4β13 to 26, 1β11). Painter A used
ultramarine blue, obtained from lapis lazuli, as blue pigment. Ultramarine blue was often
mixed with lead white to obtain different shades. The painter usually worked with three
shades. Highlights were added in lead white and the black contours in carbon black were
applied at the end on top of the blue layers. XRF and FORS confirmed the presence of
ultramarine blue on folios 1β8, pages 1β16. The presence of aluminium (Al) and silicon
(Si) on the XRF spectrum (Fig. 1) indicates ultramarine blue (Na7Al6Si6O24S3) while high
intensities of lead (Pb) point to the use of lead white. The mixture of blue and white
pigments is clearly visible under the microscope. The absorption maximum at 600 nm
on the FORS spectra (Fig. 2) indicates ultramarine blue. The absorption maximum at
650β660 nm is instead characteristic for the organic pigment indigo. Ultramarine blue and
indigo are confirmed by Raman spectroscopy of loose blue particles. At 80x magnification,
the typical shape of lapis lazuli grains with conchoidal fracture can be observed. The size
of these particles is mostly in the range 5β10 Β΅m, which indicates that the stone was well
ground and purified to obtain the pigment. Painter A used indigo for blue shades, for in-
stance on the miniature of the flood on folio 2, page 3. The heavy rain is painted in indigo
on top of the other colour layers (Fig. 3).
Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0
The Vienna Genesis
Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Title
- The Vienna Genesis
- Subtitle
- Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Editor
- Christa Hofmann
- Publisher
- BΓΆhlau Verlag
- Location
- Wien
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-205-21058-0
- Size
- 17.3 x 24.5 cm
- Pages
- 348