TY - JOUR
T1 - Rembrandt's An Old Man in Military Costume
T2 - Combining hyperspectral and MA-XRF imaging to understand how two paintings were painted on a single panel
AU - MacLennan, Douglas
AU - Trentelman, Karen
AU - Szafran, Yvonne
AU - Woollett, Anne T.
AU - Delaney, John K.
AU - Janssens, Koen
AU - Dik, Joris
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Over the past several decades the painting An Old Man in Military Costume by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (ca. 1630–31; J. Paul Getty Museum, 78.PB.246) has been the subject of a number of investigations carried out in order to better visualize a second painting beneath the surface figure. The underlying image–the head and shoulders of a man wearing a cloak–is oriented 180 degrees from the upper image and appears to be fairly complete. Scanning macro x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy reveals the face is painted with lead white and a mercury-containing pigment (likely vermilion), and the cloak is painted with a copper-containing pigment. Following the revelation and digital color reconstruction of the underlying figure, a number of questions still remained. Here, through the use of infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy (i.e., hyperspectral imaging) and macro-XRF imaging spectroscopy, together with cross-sections taken from targeted areas, the sequence of painting in both compositions was explored. Of particular interest was the discovery of evidence of multiple attempts to situate the lower figure, and the subsequent application of a blocking-out layer over the lower figure before the artist rotated the panel and executed the upper figure. In addition, examination of the placement of the two images on the panel adds to our understanding of the subtle complexities of Rembrandt's working process.
AB - Over the past several decades the painting An Old Man in Military Costume by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (ca. 1630–31; J. Paul Getty Museum, 78.PB.246) has been the subject of a number of investigations carried out in order to better visualize a second painting beneath the surface figure. The underlying image–the head and shoulders of a man wearing a cloak–is oriented 180 degrees from the upper image and appears to be fairly complete. Scanning macro x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy reveals the face is painted with lead white and a mercury-containing pigment (likely vermilion), and the cloak is painted with a copper-containing pigment. Following the revelation and digital color reconstruction of the underlying figure, a number of questions still remained. Here, through the use of infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy (i.e., hyperspectral imaging) and macro-XRF imaging spectroscopy, together with cross-sections taken from targeted areas, the sequence of painting in both compositions was explored. Of particular interest was the discovery of evidence of multiple attempts to situate the lower figure, and the subsequent application of a blocking-out layer over the lower figure before the artist rotated the panel and executed the upper figure. In addition, examination of the placement of the two images on the panel adds to our understanding of the subtle complexities of Rembrandt's working process.
KW - Early Rembrandt
KW - infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy
KW - re-use of painting supports
KW - X-ray fluorescence imaging spectroscopy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058860639&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01971360.2018.1540245
DO - 10.1080/01971360.2018.1540245
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85058860639
SN - 0197-1360
VL - 58
SP - 54
EP - 68
JO - Journal of the American Institute for Conservation
JF - Journal of the American Institute for Conservation
IS - 1-2
ER -