DAVID A. SIQUEIROS: HIS MODIFICATION OF OIL- AND CELLULOSE NITRATE-BASED PAINT AND HIS ADVOCACY FOR INNOVATION, 1931–1949

Abstract

Although the use of cellulose nitrate paint by David A. Siqueiros (1896–1974) is well documented, when and how he used it is not well established. This article focuses on a technical examination of six paintings Siqueiros made between 1931 and 1949. The paintings analyzed come from two collections: Museo Nacional de Arte in Mexico City and The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Findings presented here show that Siqueiros did not use cellulose nitrate for a painting he made in 1933, despite having made that claim decades later. Rather, evidence indicates Siqueiros used it in Mexico City just prior to his trip to New York in 1935 where he established a workshop to further explore innovation in painting technique and focus especially on ways to paint without a brush. Examination of a small work from 1936 or 1937 by Jackson Pollock (1912–1956), who attended the workshop, confirms he also experimented with the medium. Afterwards, in 1939, Siqueiros again altered his technique and materials in a way to suggest that rendering specific details in his paintings was more important than being restricted to the innovative “brush-free” effects developed in the workshop.

RÉSUMÉ

Même si l'utilisation des peintures à base de nitrate de cellulose par David A. Siqueiros est bien documentée, plusieurs questions subsistent sur ses débuts et la technique qu'il a employée. Cet article présente l'examen technique de six toiles de Siqueiros produites entre 1931 et 1949. Les œuvres examinées proviennent de deux collections: celle du Museo Nacional de Arte de Mexico et celle du Museum of Modern Art de New York. Ces examens ont montré que Siqueiros n'a pas utilisé le nitrate de cellulose pour une toile produite en 1933, malgré une affirmation en ce sens des dizaines d'années plus tard. De plus, les résultats d'analyse démontrent que Siqueiros a utilisé ce matériau à Mexico, juste avant son voyage à New-York en 1935, où il a présenté un atelier sur l'innovation dans les techniques de peinture, avec une emphase sur les façons de peindre sans pinceau. L'examen d'un petit format daté de 1936 ou 1937 de Jackson Pollock, qui a participé à cet atelier, confirme qu'il a lui aussi expérimenté avec ce médium. Par la suite, en 1939, Siqueiros a modifié sa technique et les matériaux employés, ce qui suggère que le rendu de certains détails dans ses peintures était plus important que de se limiter aux effets innovants de l'approche sans pinceau développée lors de l'atelier.

RESUMEN

Mientras que el uso de pintura de nitrato de celulosa por David A. Siqueiros está bien documentado, no está bien establecido donde y como la utilizó. Este articulo se enfoca en el examen técnico de seis pinturas hechas por Siqueiros entre 1931 y 1949. Las pinturas analizadas provienen de dos colecciones: el Museo Nacional de Arte en la ciudad de México y The Museum of Modern Art (Museo de arte moderno) en Nueva York. Los resultados aquí presentados muestran que Siqueiros no utilizó nitrato de celulosa en una pintura que realizó en 1933, a pesar de haberlo declarado varias décadas más tarde. Más bien, la evidencia indica que Siqueiros la usó en la ciudad de México justo antes de su viaje a Nueva York en 1935, donde estableció un taller para explorar innovación en técnicas de pintura y enfocarse especialmente en modos de pintar sin pincel. El examen de un trabajo pequeño de 1936 ó 1937 de Jackson Pollock, quién asistió al taller, confirma que él también experimentó con este medio. Después, en 1939, Siqueiros nuevamente alteró su técnica y materiales de manera que sugiere que la rendición de detalles específicos en sus pinturas era más importante que estar restringido por la innovación de los efectos “libres de pincel” desarrollados en el taller.

RESUMO

Enquanto a utilização de tinta à base de nitrato de celulose por parte de David A. Siqueiros é bem documentada, quando e como ele a usou não está bem estabelecido. Este artigo foca-se num exame técnico feito em seis pinturas que Siqueiros fez entre 1931 e 1949. As pinturas analisadas são provenientes de duas coleções: Museo Nacional de Arte (Museu Nacional de Arte) na Cidade do México e The Museum of Modern Art (Museu de Arte Moderna) em Nova Iorque. As conclusões aqui apresentadas mostram que Siqueiros não utilizou tinta de nitrato de celulose para uma pintura de 1933, apesar de o ter reivindicado décadas depois. Mais, as evidências indicam que Siqueiros a utilizou na Cidade do México imediatamente antes da sua viagem a Nova Iorque em 1935, onde ele estabeleceu uma oficina para explorar ainda mais inovações em técnicas de pintura e onde se focou especialmente em formas de pintar sem pincel. Exames numa obra pequena de 1936 ou 1937 de Jackson Pollock, que frequentou a oficina, confirmam que ele também experimentou o media. Depois, em 1939, Siqueiros alterou outra vez a sua técnica e os materiais numa forma que sugere que a representação de pormenores específicos nas suas pinturas era mais importante do que estar restrito aos efeitos inovadores da «pintura sem pincel» desenvolvidos na sua oficina.

Keywords:

• Siqueiros
• cellulose nitrate paint
• brush-free painting
• spectroscopy

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Renato González, researcher and director of the Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas at UNAM for the idea to pursue this research topic and collaboration. Eumelia Hernández was the photographer for paintings in Mexico, América Juárez conducted valuable research in the Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros archives, Itala Schmelz provided helpful commentary on our research, and Álvaro Vázquez Mantecón helped with documenting the recreating workshop techniques. Luis Antonio Flores de Dios, geologist from Universidad de Guerrero, Taxco, helped with the geological analysis of the aggregates in Proletarian Mother. Dafne Cruz Porcini and Ana Celia Villagómez provided us with the interview of María Asúnsolo conducted in 1998. At the Museum of Modern Art Jim Coddington provided help with editing and Cindy Albertson, Ellen Pratt, and Helen Spande provided technical support, and the International Program provided travel support.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chris McGlinchey

Chris McGlinchey, the Sally and Michael Gordon conservation scientist at the Museum of Modern Art, obtained his MS in Polymer Science and Engineering from the Polymer Research Institute at Brooklyn Polytechnic. He was formerly a conservation scientist in the paintings conservation department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is adjunct professor of conservation science at NYU and guest lecturer at the Escuela Nacional de Conservación Restauración y Museografía, ENCRYM-INAH, Mexico. Address: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY, 10019. Email: [email protected]

Anny Aviram

Anny Aviram is paintings conservator at the Museum of Modern Art, where she has worked since 1972. Prior to joining MoMA, she studied conservation at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, in Mexico City. She is involved with the training of post-graduate fellows studying paintings conservation and is guest lecturer at the Escuela Nacional de Conservación Restauración y Museografía, ENCRYM-INAH, México, in addition to other conservation training programs in Mexico. Address: As for McGlinchey. Email: [email protected]

Sandra Zetina

Sandra Zetina, research conservator at UNAM's Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, obtained her MS in Art History at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UNAM, and studied Heritage Conservation at Escuela Nacional de Conservación Restauración y Museografía, ENCRYM-INAH, México. Her chief area of interest is examination of the materials and painting techniques in Mexican art. Address: Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Mario de la Cueva s/n, C.U. Coyoacán, México, D.F., C.P. 04510. Email: [email protected]

Elsa Arroyo

Elsa Arroyo, research conservator at UNAM's Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, obtained her MA in Art History by Facultad de Filosofia y Letras, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She studied Heritage Conservation at Escuela Nacional de Conservación Restauración y Museografía, ENCRYM-INAH, México. Her main area of focus is research in the easel painting techniques and materials of Mexican art. Address: As for Zetina. Email: [email protected]

José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil

José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil is a university professor and researcher at the Physics Institute, UNAM. He obtained his PhD in Physics from the Faculté des Sciences, Facultés Universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium. His research has been devoted to materials research by ion beams and non-destructive characterization of archaeological, historical and artistic materials in Mexico. Address: Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Circuito de la Investigación Científica Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F., C.P. 04510. Email: [email protected]

Manuel Eduardo Espinosa Pesqueira

Manuel Eduardo Espinosa Pesqueira is a researcher at Instituto de Investigaciones Nucleares, and university professor at Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, where he obtained his PhD in Materials Science. He is a specialist in high-resolution electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nanocomposites. He is responsible for the SEM laboratories at Instituto de Investigaciones Nucleares. Address: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Toluca s/n, La Marquesa Ocoyoacac, México C.P. 52750. Email: [email protected]