“This is the only medieval color based on organic dyes that we didn’t have a structure for,” says Maria João Melo, who studies conservation and restoration at NOVA University of Lisbon and was one of the lead sleuths, along with the University of Porto’s Joana Oliveira and Victor de Freitas. “We need to know what’s in medieval manuscript illuminations because we want to preserve these beautiful colors for future generations.”
by Bethany Halford | April 17, 2020
Both poetry and art have been important influences on my choices in life. The painting Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth shows how I felt for most of my career. I am grateful to two faculty mentors who taught me the scientific method and instilled a love of chemical mechanisms in me. Ed Trachtenberg, a chemist at Clark University who trained with P.
by Joanne Stubbe | March 23, 2020
—PVA-based gel removes dirt from paintings “Large, disordered pores allow the gel to capture soil without damaging pigments” The paints used in many works of art contain additives that are often sensitive to cleaning solvents, so art conservators must weigh the risks of damaging works against the benefits of cleaning them.
by Gina Vitale | March 21, 2020
—Getty Conservation Institute creates a library of plastics to help conservators protect plastic art “Materials scientist Odile Madden leads a team studying how to stop degradation in museums” These days, one of the most common complaints about plastics is that they don’t break down fast enough. But you won’t hear this complaint from conservators in museums around the world.
by XiaoZhi Lim, special to C&EN | October 06, 2019
The three-block town square is filled with booths selling crafts and fine arts. Aisles of food stands offer local cuisine and more exotic fare. BCMAC has a booth with information on environmental and health impacts of the Shell cracker. The Vanport Township Municipal Authority is there with a model of the town’s water table in an aquarium. Gary Grimm, superintendent of the Vanport water plant, is talking to walk-ups about summertime water conservation. There is no information at the municipal authority’s booth about the impact of the cracker on the water supply. Although Garrison Day is the largest local gathering of the year, drawing a crowd from towns throughout the area, Shell, which recently held its community meeting in nearby Vanport, has no presence.
by Rick Mullin | August 12, 2019
Cleland, a paleontologist and mass spectrometrist at the Museum Conservation Institute, part of the Smithsonian Institution. And then once the proteins are extracted, “protein degradation further exacerbates the problems” of working with these samples, says Christina Warinner, an anthropologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History who uses mass spectrometry to study ancient proteins.
by Celia Henry Arnaud | May 20, 2019
While Tasmania is a conservative place, he says, “it is becoming more and more open and accepting as they realize that cultural exchange is valuable to the community.” 2006 Switching to chemistry Ho attended the University of Tasmania (UTAS), initially wanting to study microbiology. But Ho quickly found another academic passion, and he switched his major to chemistry.
by Melissa Gilden | April 11, 2019
The study shows that analyzing the photoluminescence of pigment particles could help art conservators identify the start of color degradation in paintings and protect artworks against it, Comelli says. /analytical-chemistry/art-&-artifacts/Analysis-reveals-yellow-paint-Picassos/97/i9 20190302 Differences in the paints’ cadmium sulfide particles affect the rate of degradation Concentrates 97 9 /magazine/97/09709.html Analysis reveals why some yellow paint in Picasso’s Femme has faded to brown scitech Leigh Krietsch Boerner analytical-chemistry art-&-artifacts materials nanomaterials Why Picasso’s yellow paint has faded to brown Chemical & Engineering News Analysis reveals why some yellow paint in Picasso’s Femme has faded to brown Analysis reveals why some yellow paint in Picasso’s Femme has faded to brown
by Leigh Krietsch Boerner | March 02, 2019