“Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art”: An Investigation of Materials and Techniques

Abstract

The 2010 exhibition “Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art” presented the unparalleled opportunity to examine the working methods and materials of Pablo Picasso's paintings in the museum's collection, 34 works in total, covering a span of over 60 years. All paintings were comprehensively examined and studied using infrared reflectography and x-ray radiography. The paintings with paint surfaces that visually presented qualities associated with alkyd, enamel, or house paints were analyzed. Four paintings presenting such significant characteristics emerged from the group and are the focus of this study. Pigment and binding media analyses indicated the possible use of non-traditional artist's paints but not necessarily house, alkyd, or enamel paints. Picasso's infinite creativity was reflected in his experimental nature with materials. Specifically, his manipulation and alteration of the oil medium, which directly impacted the appearance and handling properties of the paint, must be taken into account. Ultimately, the results of this study illustrate the difficulty in identifying house, boat, or other non-traditional artist's paints by visual examination alone and the challenges of their analytical characterization. Our analyses showed the presence of traditional artist's materials of the time period but did not definitively identify chemical markers of house or other non-traditional artist's paints.

Résumé – L'exposition Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, tenue en 2010, présentait une occasion unique d'examiner la technique picturale et les matériaux des peintures de Pablo Picasso de la collection du musée, soit trente-quatre œuvres au total couvrant soixante années de carrière. Toutes les peintures ont été examinées et étudiées en profondeur en utilisant la réflectographie infrarouge et la radiographie. Les peintures dont la surface picturale présentait des caractéristiques visuelles associées à l'alkyde, à la peinture-émail ou à la peinture de bâtiment ont été analysées. Quatre d'entre elles, qui présentaient de façon marquée de telles caractéristiques, ont émergées du groupe et constituent le point d'intérêt de cet article. Les résultats d'analyse des pigments et des liants indiquaient l'emploi possible de peintures non-traditionnelles, mais pas nécessairement l'emploi de peinture de bâtiment, d'alkyde ou de peinture-émail. La créativité sans cesse renouvelée de Picasso se reflète par le caractère expérimental de ses matériaux. Entre autre, on doit prendre en considération sa façon de manipuler et d'altérer le liant à l'huile, ce qui avait un impact directe sur l'apparence et la mise en œuvre de la peinture. Ultimement, les résultats de cette étude illustrent la difficulté d'identifier par examen visuel seul les peintures de bâtiment, de bateau ou toute autre peinture d'artiste non traditionnelle, tout autant que les défis posés lors de leur caractérisation analytique. Ces analyses indiquent la présence de matériaux d'artiste traditionnels de cette période, mais n'identifient pas avec certitude les marqueurs chimiques de peinture de bâtiment ou d'autres peintures d'artiste non traditionnelles.

Resumen – La exhibición ‘Picasso en el Museo Metropolitano de Arte,’ que tuvo lugar en el año 2010, presentó una oportunidad única de examinar las técnicas y los materiales usados por Pablo Picasso en las pinturas de la colección del museo, treinta y cuatro obras en total que cubren un período de más de sesenta años. Todas las pinturas fueron examinadas y estudiadas en forma exhaustiva usando reflectografía infrarroja y radiografía. Fueron analizadas las pinturas que presentaban superficies con características visuales generalmente asociadas con resinas alquídicas, con esmaltes o con pinturas para casas. Cuatro de estas pinturas fueron seleccionadas de este grupo y constituyen el enfoque del presente artículo. Los análisis de los pigmentos y de los medios aglutinantes indicaron que probablemente fueron usadas pinturas artísticas no tradicionales, pero no necesariamente pinturas para casas, basadas en resinas alquídicas o en esmaltes. La creatividad infinita de Picasso se reflejó en la forma experimental con que usó los materiales. Deben ser tenidos en cuenta específicamente la manipulación y los cambios al aceite del medio aglutinante que tienen un impacto directo sobre el aspecto de la pintura y sobre como deben ser trabajados. Los resultados de este estudio ilustran las dificultades que se deben afrontar durante la identificación puramente visual de pinturas para casas, botes o de otras pinturas artísticas no tradicionales y los retos que presentan su caracterización e identificación. Los resultados de nuestros análisis muestran la presencia de materiales artísticos no tradicionales correspondientes al período, pero no identifican categóricamente marcadores químicos de pinturas para casas o de otras pinturas artísticas no tradicionales.

Resumo – A exposição “Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art” de 2010 foi uma oportunidade única para examinar os métodos e materiais de trabalho de pinturas de Pablo Picasso nas coleções dos museus, um total de 34 trabalhos cobrindo um período de mais de 60 anos. Todas as pinturas foram extensamente analisadas e estudadas com reflectografia de infravermelho e radiografia. Quatro pinturas com superfícies que apresentaram características visuais associadas a tintas alquídicas, esmaltes ou caseiras se destacaram no grupo e são o tema desse artigo. Análises de pigmentos e meios ligantes indicaram a possibilidade de uso de tintas artísticas não tradicionais, mas não necessariamente caseiras, alquídicas ou esmaltes. A criatividade infinita de Picasso se refletiu na natureza experimental do seu trabalho com os materiais. Especificamente, a sua manipulação e alteração do meio em óleo, que impactou diretamente a aparência e as propriedades de manuseio da tinta, devem ser levadas em conta. Finalmente, os resultados desse estudo ilustram a dificuldade na identificação de tintas para casas, barcos, ou outro material de uso não tradicional pelos artistas através apenas do exame visual e os desafios da sua caracterização analítica. Esse estudo mostrou a presença de materiais artísticos tradicionais do período, mas definitivamente não identificou marcadores químicos de tintas caseiras ou outros materiais não tradicionais.

Keywords:

• Picasso
• pigments
• binding medium
• house paints
• infrared reflectography
• x-ray radiography

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the following colleagues: Lucy Belloli and Michael Gallagher from The Sherman Fairchild Paintings Conservation Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA); Mark T. Wypyski, Adriana Rizzo, and Marco Leona from the Department of Scientific Research, MMA; Gary Tinterow, Susan Alyson Stein, Magdalena Dabrowski, Lisa M. Messinger, Asher Ethan Miller, Marla Prather, Rebecca A. Rabinow, Sabine Rewald, Samantha Rippner, and Christel Hollewoet-Force from the Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art, MMA; Chris McGlinchey, The Museum of Modern Art; Tom Learner and Michael Schilling, The Getty Conservation Institute; Gwénaëlle Gautier, formerly at The Art Institute of Chicago.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julie Arslanoglu

Julie Arslanoglu joined the Department of Scientific Research at The Metropolitan Museum in February 2006 as an associate research scientist after positions at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, among others. She holds graduate degrees in chemistry (The Pennsylvania State University) and paintings conservation (The Courtauld Institute of Art, London). Her primary role is the investigation of art and its materials with a focus on paintings and works of art on paper. She specializes in the analysis of organic natural product and synthetic materials using spectroscopic, chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and immunological techniques. Address: Department of Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028, USA. Email: [email protected].

Silvia A. Centeno

Silvia A. Centeno is a research scientist in the MMA's Department of Scientific Research, where her main responsibilities include the investigation of the material aspects of works of art, with a focus on paintings, works of art on paper, and photographs. She has lectured and published on a number of topics ranging from Medieval illuminated manuscripts and Renaissance paintings to 19th century drawings, early lithographic inks, photographic materials, and modern paints. Address: as for Arslanoglu. Email:[email protected].

Shawn Digney-Peer

Shawn Digney-Peer is an associate conservator in the Paintings Conservation Department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he specializes in the restoration of 19th century, modern, and contemporary paintings. Shawn received his postgraduate Diploma in the conservation and restoration of easel paintings from the Courtauld Institute of Art (London) in 2003. Address: The Sherman Fairchild Paintings Conservation Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028, USA. Email: [email protected].

Isabelle Duvernois

Isabelle Duvernois is an associate conservator in the Paintings Conservation Department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she has specialized in the conservation of 19th century, modern, and contemporary paintings since 2005. She received an MA in art history and an Advanced Certificate in the conservation of works of arts from the New York University Institute of Fine Arts and the Conservation Center in 2003. The Sherman Fairchild Paintings Conservation Center. Address: as for Digney-Peer. Email: [email protected].