title: The identification of synthetic organic pigments in modern paints and modern paintings using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
abstract: A collection of more than 70 synthetic organic pigments were analysed using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). We report on the analysis of diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole, isoindolinone and perylene pigments which are classes not previously reported as being analysed by this technique. We also report on a number of azo pigments (2-naphthol, naphthol AS, arylide, diarylide, benzimidazolone and disazo condensation pigments) and phthalocyanine pigments, the Py-GC-MS analysis of which has not been previously reported. The members of each class were found to fragment in a consistent way and the pyrolysis products are reported. The technique was successfully applied to the analysis of paints used by the artist Francis Bacon (1909-1992), to simultaneously identify synthetic organic pigments and synthetic binding media in two samples of paint taken from Bacon's studio and micro-samples taken from three of his paintings and one painting attributed to him.
authors.affiliation: School of Arts and Social Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Justin J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacon