Unraveling the composition of Rembrandt's impasto through the identification of unusual plumbonacrite by multimodal X-ray diffraction analysis

Journal article (2019)

Authors

V.M.J.M. Gonzalez (OLD) MSE-4 , Rijksmuseum
Marine Cotte Sorbonne Université, Paris, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)
Gilles Wallez Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Paris
A. van Loon Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, Rijksmuseum
Wout De Nolf European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)
Myriam Eveno Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France
Katrien Keune Universiteit van Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum
Petria Noble Rijksmuseum
J. Dik (OLD) MSE-4
Research Group
(OLD) MSE-4
More Info
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Published Date

2019

Language

English

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Research Group

(OLD) MSE-4

Abstract

Rembrandt (1606–1669) is renowned for his impasto technique, involving his use of lead white paint with outstanding rheological properties. This paint was obtained by combining lead white pigment (a mixture of cerussite PbCO
3 and hydrocerussite Pb
3(CO
3)
2(OH)
2) with an organic binding medium, but the exact formulation used by Rembrandt remains a mystery. A powerful combination of high-angle and high-lateral resolution x-ray diffraction was used to investigate several microscopic paint samples from four Rembrandt masterpieces. A rare lead compound, plumbonacrite (Pb
5(CO
3)
3O(OH)
2), was detected in areas of impasto. This can be considered a fingerprint of Rembrandt's recipe and is evidence of the use of an alkaline binding medium, which sheds a new light on Rembrandt's pictorial technique.

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