Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports
Abstract Two Burmese oil paintings on zinc supports depicting portraits of royal families, dated to the early 20th century by Saya Aye and Saya Mya, showed interesting corrosion, efflorescence and soapy globules for analytical investigation prior to conservation for exhibition. The features and colo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Heritage Science |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40494-019-0287-5 |
| _version_ | 1818035648362184704 |
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| author | Lynn Chua |
| author_facet | Lynn Chua |
| author_sort | Lynn Chua |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Two Burmese oil paintings on zinc supports depicting portraits of royal families, dated to the early 20th century by Saya Aye and Saya Mya, showed interesting corrosion, efflorescence and soapy globules for analytical investigation prior to conservation for exhibition. The features and colours on the two paintings, one of which was in worse condition than the other, were obscured by a whitish haze. Paint rupture and losses due to corrosion of the zinc support were apparent. Using a combination of 3D digital microscopy, FTIR microscopy and SEM–EDS, the degradation, as well as the paint materials and artists’ techniques were analysed and discussed. Zinc soaps, oxalates, silicates, hydroxychlorides, carbonates, wax and mould characterized the haze. Interestingly, brown outlines in Aye’s painting appeared unusually dark. Upon analysis, this degradation phenomenon was attributed to micro-sized greenish soap globules that have developed around copper/zinc (brass) particles, causing the brown outlines to lose their intended luminosity. The other painting by Mya, in which the same brown outline was applied, did not show such formation of globules. Detection of oxalates in the corrosion of zinc support and brown outlines are discussed. This study shows the importance in understanding the artists’ materials and techniques, which have consequential effects to the degradation observed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:58:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04045dee64c8447aacca8463e3315c0b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7445 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:58:24Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-04045dee64c8447aacca8463e3315c0b2022-12-22T01:58:22ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452019-07-017111210.1186/s40494-019-0287-5Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supportsLynn Chua0Heritage Conservation Centre (National Heritage Board)Abstract Two Burmese oil paintings on zinc supports depicting portraits of royal families, dated to the early 20th century by Saya Aye and Saya Mya, showed interesting corrosion, efflorescence and soapy globules for analytical investigation prior to conservation for exhibition. The features and colours on the two paintings, one of which was in worse condition than the other, were obscured by a whitish haze. Paint rupture and losses due to corrosion of the zinc support were apparent. Using a combination of 3D digital microscopy, FTIR microscopy and SEM–EDS, the degradation, as well as the paint materials and artists’ techniques were analysed and discussed. Zinc soaps, oxalates, silicates, hydroxychlorides, carbonates, wax and mould characterized the haze. Interestingly, brown outlines in Aye’s painting appeared unusually dark. Upon analysis, this degradation phenomenon was attributed to micro-sized greenish soap globules that have developed around copper/zinc (brass) particles, causing the brown outlines to lose their intended luminosity. The other painting by Mya, in which the same brown outline was applied, did not show such formation of globules. Detection of oxalates in the corrosion of zinc support and brown outlines are discussed. This study shows the importance in understanding the artists’ materials and techniques, which have consequential effects to the degradation observed.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40494-019-0287-5Zinc supportSoapOxalateCorrosionEfflorescence |
| spellingShingle | Lynn Chua Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports Heritage Science Zinc support Soap Oxalate Corrosion Efflorescence |
| title | Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| title_full | Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| title_fullStr | Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| title_short | Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| title_sort | whitish haze soapy globules micro analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports |
| topic | Zinc support Soap Oxalate Corrosion Efflorescence |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40494-019-0287-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lynnchua whitishhazesoapyglobulesmicroanalysisofdegradedburmesepaintingsonzincsupports |