Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identification of the finishing technique of an early eighteenth century musical instrument using FTIR spectromicroscopy

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study of varnishes from musical instruments presents the difficulty of analysing very thin layers of heterogeneous materials on samples most of which are generally brittle and difficult to prepare. Such study is crucial to the understanding of historical musical instrument varnishing practices since written sources before 1800 are very rare and not precise. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and imaging methods were applied to identify the major chemical components within the build-up of the varnish layers on a cello made by one of the most prominent French violin-makers of the eighteenth century (Jacques Boquay, ca. 1680–1730). Two types of FTIR imaging methods were used: scanning with a synchrotron-based microscope and full-field imaging using a 2D imager with a conventional source. An interpretation of the results obtained from these studies on the Boquay cello is that the maker first applied a proteinaceous layer, probably gelatine-based animal glue. He later applied a second layer based on a mixture of a drying oil and diterpenic resin from Pinaceae sp. From an historical perspective, the results complement previous studies by describing a second technique used for musical instrument finishes at the beginning of the eighteenth century in Europe.

FTIR spectromicroscopy study of a cello made by the luthier Jacques Boquay (Paris, ca. 1680-1729) shows that the maker first applied a proteinaceous layer, probably gelatine-based animal glue.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Echard JP, Lavedrine B (2008) Review on the characterisation of ancient stringed musical instruments varnishes and implementation of an analytical strategy. J Cult Herit 9:420–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Latour G, Echard JP, Soulier B, Emond I, Vaiedelich S, Elias M (2009) Structural and optical properties of wood and wood finishes studied using optical coherence tomography: application to an 18th century Italian violin. Appl Opt 48(33):6485–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Echard JP, Bertrand L (2010) Complementary spectroscopic analyses of varnishes of historical musical instruments. Spectrosc Eur 22(2):12–15

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Echard JP, Cotte M, Dooryhée E, Bertrand L (2008) Insights into the varnishes of historical musical instruments using synchrotron micro-analytical methods. Appl Phys A 92(1):77–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bartoll J, Hahn O, Schade U (2008) Application of synchrotron infrared radiation in the study of organic coatings in cross-sections. Stud Conserv 53(1):1–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Spring M, Ricci C, Peggie DA, Kazarian SG (2008) ATR-FTIR imaging for the analysis of organic materials in paint cross sections: case studies on paint samples from the National Gallery, London. Anal Bioanal Chem 392(1–2):37–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cotte M, Dumas P, Taniguchi Y, Checroun E, Walter P, Susini J (2009) Recent applications and current trends in cultural heritage science using synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy. C R Physique 10(7):590–600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gruchow F, Machill S, Thiele S, Herm C, Salzer R (2009) Imaging FTIR spectroscopic investigations of wood: paint interface of aged polychrome art objects. e-Preserv Sci 6:145–150

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Joseph E, Prati S, Sciutto G, Ioele M, Santopadre P, Mazzeo R (2010) Performance evaluation of mapping and linear imaging FTIR microspectroscopy for the characterisation of paint cross sections. Anal Bioanal Chem 396(2):899–910

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Levenson E, Lerch P, Martin MC (2006) Infrared imaging: synchrotrons vs arrays, resolution vs speed. Infrared Phys Technol 49:45–52

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Miller LM, Smith RJ (2005) Synchrotrons versus globars, point-detectors versus focal plane arrays: selecting the best source and detector for specific infrared microspectroscopy and imaging applications. Vib Spectrosc 38:237–240

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Salzer R, Siesler HW (2009) Infrared and Raman spectroscopic imaging. Wiley, Weinheim

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Milliot S (1997) Histoire de la Lutherie Parisienne. Tome 2: les Luthiers du 18e siècle. Les Amis de la Musique

  14. Chen H, Ferrari C, Angiuli M, Yao J, Raspi C, Bramanti E (2010) Qualitative and quantitative analysis of wood samples by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis. Carbohydr Polym 82(3):772–778

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. R Development Core Team (2008) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. ISBN 3-900051-07-0

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ward JH (1963) Hierachical grouping to optimize an objective function. J Am Stat Assoc 58:236–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Echard JP, Bertrand L, von Bohlen A, Le Hô AS, Paris C, Bellot-Gurlet L, Soulier B, Lattuati-Derieux A, Thao S, Robinet L, Lavédrine B, Vaiedelich S (2010) Nature of the extraordinary finish of Stradivari’s instruments. Angew Chem Int Ed 49(1):197–201

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Derieux A, Rochut S, Papillon MC, Pepe C (2001) Identification des colles protéiques présentes dans les œuvres d’art par couplage CG/SM à trappe d’ions. C R Chimie 4(4):295–300

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Echard JP, Benoit C, Peris-Vicente J, Malecki V, Gimeno-Adelantado JV, Vaiedelich S (2007) Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry characterization of historical varnishes of ancient Italian lutes and violin. Anal Chim Acta 584(1):172–180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Echard JP, Vaiedelich S. (2008) Quelques résultats d’analyses chimiques sur des vernis d’instruments d’Antonio Stradivari. De la peinture de chevalet à l’instrument de musique: vernis, liants et couleurs, 6–7 mars 2007, Cité de la musique, Paris, 104–113

  21. Byler DM, Susi H (1986) Examination of the secondary structure of proteins by deconvolved FTIR spectra. Biopolymers 25(3):469–487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Payne KJ, Veis A (1988) Fourier transform IR spectroscopy of collagen and gelatin solutions: deconvolution of the amide I band for conformational studies. Biopolymers 27:1749–1760

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rivenc R, Phenix A, Singer B, Balcar N (2008) L’élimination des vernis huile-résine. Première partie : huile de lin et colophane, Cité de la Musique, Paris, 89–101

  24. Meilunas RJ, Bentsen JG, Steinberg A (1990) Analysis of aged paint binders by FTIR spectroscopy. Stud Conserv 35(1):33–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Scalarone D, Lazzari M, Chiantore O (2002) Ageing behaviour and pyrolytic characterisation of diterpenic resins used as art materials: colophony and Venice turpentine. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 64:345–361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Scalarone D, Lazzari M, Chiantore O (2003) Ageing behaviour and analytical pyrolysis characterisation of diterpenic resins used as art materials: Manila copal and sandarac. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 68–69:115–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Levenson E, Lerch P, Martin MC (2008) Spatial resolution limits for synchrotron-based spectromicroscopy in the mid- and near-infrared. J Synchrotron Radiat 15:323–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Nadolski LS, Besson JC, Bouvet F, Brunelle P, Cassinari L, Denard JC, Filhol JM, Hubert N, Lamarre JF, Loulergue A, Nadji A, Pedeau D, Tordeux MA (2008) Orbit stability status and improvement at soleil. Proc EPAC08, Genoa, Italy, 3134-3136

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank D. Jaillard (CCME, Orsay) and M.-A. Languille (IPANEMA, SOLEIL) for sample ultra-microtomy, A. von Bohlen for SEM/EDX (ISAS, Dortmund), C. Egasse and S. Thao-Heu (CRCC, Paris) for performing chromatographic analyses, E. Quirico (LPG, UMR5109 CNRS, Grenoble) for full-field FTIR imaging analyses, P. Dumas (SMIS beamline, SOLEIL) and P. Cook (IPANEMA, SOLEIL) for their critical reading of the manuscript and M.-A. Tordeux (SOLEIL) for interesting discussions on the stability of the SOLEIL source. Specific additional funding was provided by Cité de la musique, the SOLEIL synchrotron and the French Ministry of Culture.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IPANEMA, Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP48 Saint-Aubin, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Loïc Bertrand, Laurianne Robinet & Serge X. Cohen

  2. UPS CNRS 3352, Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP48 Saint-Aubin, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Loïc Bertrand, Laurianne Robinet & Serge X. Cohen

  3. SMIS Beamline, Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP48 Saint-Aubin, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Christophe Sandt

  4. UMR 171 CNRS, Laboratoire du Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France, 14 quai François Mitterrand, 75001, Paris, France

    Anne-Solenn Le Hô

  5. Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Institut für Technologie der Malerei, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany

    Balthazar Soulier

  6. Laboratoire de recherche et de restauration, Musée de la musique, Cité de la musique, 221 avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019, Paris, France

    Balthazar Soulier & Jean-Philippe Echard

  7. Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections MNHN-CNRS-MCC, 36 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 75005, Paris, France

    Agnès Lattuati-Derieux & Jean-Philippe Echard

Authors
  1. Loïc Bertrand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Laurianne Robinet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Serge X. Cohen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christophe Sandt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anne-Solenn Le Hô
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Balthazar Soulier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Agnès Lattuati-Derieux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jean-Philippe Echard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Loïc Bertrand.

Additional information

Published in the special issue Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage with Guest Editors Rocco Mazzeo, Silvia Prati, and Aldo Roda.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM (PDF 2280 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bertrand, L., Robinet, L., Cohen, S.X. et al. Identification of the finishing technique of an early eighteenth century musical instrument using FTIR spectromicroscopy. Anal Bioanal Chem 399, 3025–3032 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4288-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4288-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation