Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Four-flux model of the light scattering in porous varnish and paint layers: towards understanding the visual appearance of altered blanched easel oil paintings

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Blanching of easel oil paintings is a recurring alteration that can affect the varnish layer and also the paint layer itself, and strongly alter the visual appearance. Our examinations by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) of altered and unaltered samples revealed the presence of spherical pores in the altered layers, with a pore size ranging from few nanometers to few micrometers. The aim of the present study is to corroborate that the visual appearance modification can be explained by light scattering theories (Mie or Rayleigh depending on the pore size of the considered layer). The four-flux model was used to resolve the radiative transfer equation (RTE) and model the light scattering in porous varnish layers as well as in porous green earth and raw umber oil paint layers. It enables to highlight that the pore size has an important impact on the visual appearance of the altered layer (color and opacity modification). The pore concentration and the thickness of the altered part affect, however, only the opacity. This work points out that the blanching of easel oil paintings is due to light scattering by the pores, which is an important result toward the proposal of adapted and durable future conservation treatments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Genty-Vincent, M. Eveno, W. Nowik, G. Bastian, E. Ravaud, I. Cabillic, J. Uziel, N. Lubin-Germain, M. Menu, Appl. Phys. A 121, 779 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. S. Bergeon-Langle, P. Curie, Peinture and dessin: vocabulaire typologique et technique (Éditions du patrimoine, 2009)

  3. S. Bergeon, Science et patience, ou, La restauration des peintures (Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, 1990)

  4. C. Bergeaud, J.F. Hulot, A. Roche, La dégradation des peintures sur toile: méthode d’examen des altérations (École nationale du patrimoine, 1997)

  5. K. Nicolaus, Manuel de restauration des tableaux (Könemann, 1999)

  6. G. Émile-Mâle, La Restauration Des Peintures de Chevalet (Office du Livre, 1976)

  7. M. Wyld, J. Mills, J. Plesters, Natl. Gallery Tech. Bull. 4, 49 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  8. K. Groen, Hamilt. Kerr Inst. Bull. 1, 48 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  9. S. Bergeon, G. Mondorf, S. Delbourgo, J.P. Rioux, in Proceedings of ICOM-Comitee for Conservation, 6th Triennal Meeting, Ottawa, 21–25 September 1981, pp. 81/20/83/81–81/20/83/88

  10. A. Genty-Vincent, A. Pacureanu, M. Eveno, J. Uziel, M. Cotte, P. Cloetens, N. Lubin-Germain, M. Menu (to be submitted)

  11. G. Mie, Ann. Phys. 330, 377 (1908)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J.W. Strutt, Philos. Mag. Ser. 4(41), 274 (1871)

    Google Scholar 

  13. CIE, Colorimetry, 2nd edn. (CIE publication 15.2, Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage, Vienna, 1986)

  14. ASTM, Standards on Color and Appearance Measurement, 6th edn. (American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 2000)

  15. S. Chandrasekhar, Radiative Transfer (Dover Publications, 1960)

  16. P. Mudgett, L. Richards, Appl. Opt. 10, 1485 (1971)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. P. Kubelka, F. Munk, Zeitschrift für Technische Physik 12, 593 (1931)

    Google Scholar 

  18. P. Kubelka, JOSA 38, 448 (1948)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. B. Maheu, J.N. Letoulouzan, G. Gouesbet, Appl. Opt. 23, 3353 (1984)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. C. Rozé, T. Girasole, A.-G. Tafforin, Atmos. Environ. 35, 5125 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Hébert, M. Mallet, A. Deboos, P. Chavel, D.-F. Kuang, J.-P. Hugonin, M. Besbes, A. Cazier, in Proceeding SPIE 9398, Measuring, Modeling, and Reproducing Material Appearance, Paper 93980U (2015)

  22. H. Lank, V. Pemberton-Pigott, J. Plesters, in Preprints of the Lisbon ICC Congress, 9–14 October 1972, pp. 809

  23. W. Mokrzycki, M. Tatol, Machine Graphics and Vision 20(4), 383 (2011)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherche et Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF), Palais du Louvre-Porte des Lions, 14 Quai François Mitterrand, 75001, Paris, France

    Anaïs Genty-Vincent, Théo Phan Van Song & Michel Menu

  2. Laboratoire de Chimie biologique (LCB), EA 4505, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 mail Gay-Lussac, Neuville-sur-Oise, 95031, Cergy-Pontoise Cedex, France

    Anaïs Genty-Vincent

  3. Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine, Patrima, 33, boulevard du Port, 95011, Cergy-Pontoise Cedex, France

    Anaïs Genty-Vincent

  4. Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation (CRC, USR 3224), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, CNRS, CP21, Sorbonne Universités, 36 rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, 75005, Paris, France

    Théo Phan Van Song & Christine Andraud

  5. Chimie ParisTech-CNRS, Institut de Recherche Chimie Paris, UMR8247, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France

    Michel Menu

Authors
  1. Anaïs Genty-Vincent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Théo Phan Van Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christine Andraud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michel Menu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anaïs Genty-Vincent.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Genty-Vincent, A., Van Song, T.P., Andraud, C. et al. Four-flux model of the light scattering in porous varnish and paint layers: towards understanding the visual appearance of altered blanched easel oil paintings. Appl. Phys. A 123, 473 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1092-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1092-1

Search

Navigation