The goal of the research is to identify what pigments are present in the painting “Saint Peter” and if there is any paint degradation. “Saint Peter” is an oil painting from the Saint Vincent College’s permanent collection. The painting was brought over with Boniface Wimmer in 1853 from King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Not much is known about the painting or the artist. Since the age of the painting is unknown, the possible pigments in the painting can only be narrowed down to the common pigment used in Europe prior to 1853. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) are used to help narrow down the possible pigments, in multiple paint samples, by providing elemental analysis. Meanwhile, the polarized light microscope (PLM) is used to determine if any of the samples contain birefringent pigments; this will help narrow down the possible pigments. To determine the paint degradation in “Saint Peter” the SEM is used to examine the surfaces of the multiple paint samples. In order to receive clear images, a specific coating was applied to make the sample more conductive. These images will hopefully give an idea of the type and amount of degradation of the paint in “Saint Peter.”

Identification of pigments and the level of degradation in the painting Saint Peter

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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