title: Identification of lead pigments in nanosamples from ancient paintings and polychromed sculptures using voltammetry of nanoparticles/atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Voltammetry of nanoparticles coupled with atomic force microscopy was used to identify lead pigments in nanosamples proceeding from works of art. Upon mechanical attachment of few nanograms of sample to a graphite plate, well-defined voltammetric responses were obtained for lead orange, lead yellow, lead white, litharge, minium, Naples yellow, and tin-lead yellow, allowing for an unambiguous identification of such pigments. Atomic force images provide evidence for the occurrence of pigment-characteristic reduction processes accompanied by metal deposition on the graphite substrate. Electrochemical parameters are used for pigment identification. Application to the method for identifying lead pigments in different model binder+pigment specimens and pictorial samples from the canvas painting collection (anonymous, 17th century) of the Saint Joseph Church in Taormina (Italy), the frescoes painted by Antonio Acisclo Palomino y Velasco (1698) in the vault of the Sant Joan del Mercat church in València (Spain) and an anonymous polychromed sculpture (16th century) representing a Martyr Saint from Alacant (Spain) is described.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Química Analítica, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doménech-Carbó
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Doménech-Carbó
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mas-Barberá