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The miniatures of the Vienna Genesis:
colour identification and painters’ palettes
Christa Hofmann, Sophie Rabitsch, Antonia Malissa, Maurizio Aceto, Katharina Uhlir, Mar-
tina Griesser, Elisa Calà, Angelo Agostino, Gaia Fenoglio
Introduction
The Vienna Genesis is famous for the 48 miniatures, which illustrate the text of the book
of Genesis. The paintings are considered the richest cycle of book illuminations from Late
Antiquity. Various aspects of these miniatures have been the research focus of numerous
scholars over centuries. One question that has been ardently debated for over 100 years is
how many painters worked on the illustrations. It is obvious that not only one artist de-
signed and painted the miniatures. So far, the painters have been differentiated by their style
and their iconography. The colours used by the artists have not been investigated, therefore
the aim of this project was to identify pigments and dyes as well as to differentiate palettes of
individual painters. A combination of methods was employed to gain better understanding
of the art technology. Based on the latest research and theory on painters by Barbara Zim-
mermann1 and visual observation of the paintings, seven painters were identified (painters A,
B, C, D, E, F, and G). Representative measurement points in the main colours were selected
for each painter. The measurement points were analysed by micro-X-ray fluorescence spec-
troscopy (µ-XRF) and by UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry with optic
fibres (FORS). Spectrofluorimetry and optical microscopy were used to obtain additional
information. Loose paint particles that could no longer be assigned to definite locations
were used as micro-samples for further studies with Raman spectroscopy, surface enhanced
Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray
detection (SEM/EDX). The analytical results were compared with microscopic examination
of the measuring points using 6.3x–32x magnification. Observations of the miniatures under
visible light and ultraviolet light (UV) as well as on infrared reflectography (IRR) images
completed the interpretation of the painting techniques. In discussion with all partners, a
suggestion for the colours used by seven different painters was formulated. Not all pigments
and dyes could be clearly identified. Despite open questions it is possible to distinguish dif-
ferences between painters namely in the use of blue, green and black colours.
1 Zimmermann, 2003.
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
- Titel
- The Vienna Genesis
- Untertitel
- Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Herausgeber
- Christa Hofmann
- Verlag
- Böhlau Verlag
- Ort
- Wien
- Datum
- 2020
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-205-21058-0
- Abmessungen
- 17.3 x 24.5 cm
- Seiten
- 348