Question
Asked 27 May 2016
  • SAS Re.S.Artes

When first titanium white pigment has been detected in a painting ? With which technique ?

I'm searching for the very first publication that talks about the detection of titanium white pigment in a painting using a scientific technique.

Most recent answer

Derek Pigrum
University of Porto
The best book I have ever read on the nature of oil painting is by Elkins and is entitled What painting is. There is all manner of information concerning the chemical properties and use of oil paints. The book relates oil painting to Alchemy. Highly recommend. As a painter I regret  that one can no longer obtain Flake White because of its lead content.

All Answers (5)

Jean-Philippe Rigaud
Université Bordeaux-I
Sorry, I can't help
JPh.
Vincent Cattersel
University of Antwerp
Have you checked the 'Pigment Compendium: A Dictionary and Optical Microscopy of Historical Pigments'? You might also want to check 'Artist's Pigments' series by R. L. Feller, whit a little luck, you can find citations towards old(er) articles...
Sanjay Sen Gupta
Sister Nivedita University Kolkata WB India
Though Titanium White is a color of the 20th century, but was discovered way back in 1821. It began to be used widely in paintings after 1921, when first oil paint was manufactured in USA.
Derek Pigrum
University of Porto
The best book I have ever read on the nature of oil painting is by Elkins and is entitled What painting is. There is all manner of information concerning the chemical properties and use of oil paints. The book relates oil painting to Alchemy. Highly recommend. As a painter I regret  that one can no longer obtain Flake White because of its lead content.

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