- Understand the significance of cerium-based pigments in contemporary art and outdoor applications.
- Analyze the spectral features of cerium sulfide red and cerium oxide using XRF spectroscopy.
- Explore additional applications of cerium, such as its use in magnets.
- Cerium sulfide red pigment sample in Pigments Checker – Modern Art.
- Cerium oxide powder.
- Introduction to Cerium in Pigments: Discuss the unique properties of cerium, emphasizing its non-toxic nature, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. Highlight its role in creating durable pigments for outdoor and artistic applications.
- Baseline Analysis: Examine the XRF spectrum of cerium oxide to identify key peaks, including the K alpha and L lines, establishing a reference for cerium.
- Pigment Analysis: Analyze cerium sulfide red, identifying its spectral features, including intense L lines and smaller K alpha peaks.
- Broader Applications: Compare the spectrum of cerium oxide with that of a neodymium magnet to demonstrate cerium’s role in replacing neodymium, creating less expensive but functional magnets.
To reinforce the concepts discussed here, we also provide a video lesson that visually walks through the key points of this topic. Watching the video alongside the text can help you better understand and apply these ideas in practice.
The course XRF Spectroscopy for Art Examination introduces conservators, art historians, and scientists with interest in Art to the principles and practical applications of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy in the examination of artworks. The course starts with basic principles of XRF and gradually explores its role in identifying materials and methods used in the creation and conservation of art.
Course Objectives
- Understand the fundamentals of XRF spectroscopy and how it applies to the analysis of art.
- Learn the key features and limitations of XRF for examining art and archaeology.
- Gain skills in interpreting XRF spectra to identify specific elements in paint layers, inks and metals.
Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands
