Comprehensive characterization of modern industrial Argentinian paints for improved chronological painting attribution

Abstract

Throughout the twentieth century, the paint industry developed a multitude of new binding media, pigments and additives that improved the appearance, ease of application, and performance of modern industrial paints. Depending on when and where they were first manufactured, and when they were introduced into paint formulations, some of these new paint components could conceivably be chronological markers useful in assigning attribution to specific artists or in the study of forgeries. The aim of this study was to develop a systematic methodology for characterizing organic and inorganic materials in modern paints, and search for potential chronological markers. Colored reference paints manufactured by local companies in Argentina from the 1940s and 1950s were studied with a multi-analytical approach that included Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. A wide range of compounds was identified due to the complementarity use of the analytical techniques. Historical references, patents, books, and scientific publications about the materials used in that time period provided invaluable information in establishing tentative timelines for modern paint components. This investigation was part of a broader interdisciplinary investigation of Concrete Art, an international art movement of the beginning of the twentieth century, which took place in Argentina and other nearby countries during the 1940s and 1950s. To prove the concept, a micro-sample from “Obra N° 171” by Raúl Lozza was analyzed. Organic and inorganic fractions were studied and the information collected was correlated with developed timelines to support the authentication process. Ultimately, the information from this study may also have a direct impact on the key areas of material characterization, aging behavior, and conservation of works of art made from these products.