by pablo picasso: the case of a lost painting 2 1 a ... · céret by pablo picasso: the case of a...

Eleonora Maria Stellaa, Susanna Braccia, Roberta Iannacconea, Jacopo La Nasab, Maria Perla Colombinib

a: ICVBC-CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy; b: Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13 Pisa, Italy

In this work, the methodological approach used for the study of a painting from Pablo Picasso's cubist period is examined in order to verify its authenticity.In a perspective of a multidisciplinary research and activity, the outcomes obtained made it possible to identify a work of art by the Spanish painter whichhad always been considered lost. The painting was produced by the artist in 1912 during his second stay in Céret (southern France), and several issuesabout why all traces of this work of art were lost until it was discovered in Italy in 2013 remain still unresolved

Violon. Céret by Pablo Picasso: the case of a lost paintingA Methodological Approach

Liquid chromatography

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+ESIBPC(915.7000) ScanFrag=200.0V C1 8 ,1OHC1 8 :1,1OHP

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+ESIBPC(913.7000) ScanFrag=200.0V PC1 8 :1,1OHC1 8 :1,1OH

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3+ESIBPC(911.7000) ScanFrag=200.0V PC1 8 :1,1OHC1 8 :2,1OH

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+ESIBPC(941.7000) ScanFrag=200.0VSC1 8 :1,1OHC1 8 :1,1OH

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+ESIBPC(899.7000) ScanFrag=200.0VSC1 8 :1,1OHP

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+ESIBPC(897.7000) ScanFrag=200.0V C1 8 :2,1OHSP

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+ESIBPC(939.7000) ScanFrag=200.0V SC1 8 :2,1OHC1 8 :1,1OH

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+ESIBPC(895.7000) Scan Frag=200.0VC1 8 :2,1OHOP

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+ESIBPC(855.7000) Scan Frag=200.0V POP

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+ESIBPC(881.7000) Scan Frag=200.0V OOP

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+ESIBPC(907.7000) Scan Frag=200.0V OLS

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+ESIBPC(883.7000) Scan Frag=200.0V OSP

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Counts vs. Acquisition Time (min)

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In order to obtain a complete picture of the lipid composition of the binder highperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry(HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF) analysis were performed.

The oxidized fraction of the lipid material was characterized by the presence ofC18:1,OHC18,OHP, C18:1,OHC18:1,OHP, C18:2,OHC18:1,OHP, C18:1,OHC18:1,OHS , SC18:1,OHP, C18:2,OHSP, andC18:2,OHOP. The presence of hydroxy acyl chains characterized by the presence of anumber of double bonds up to 2 can be related to the oxidation of triglyceridescontaining linolenic acid as acyl substituents. The un-oxidized triglycerides were mainlycharacterized by the presence of POP, OOP, OLS, and OSP.

The comparison of this profile with the literature allowed us to identify the lipidmaterial as an oxidized linseed oil, excluding the use of Ripolin.

Pipr_04: Extract ion chromatograms of thetriglycerides detected in the paint binder. CX:Y,OH: X-carbon atom numbers, Y double bonds, OH hydroxylgroup; L: linoleic acid; O: oleic acid; S: stearic acid; P:palmitic acid

OOP

POP

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OSP

C18:1,OHC18,OHP

C18:1,OHC18:1,OHP

C18:2,OHC18:1,OHP

C18:1,OHC18:1,OHS

SC18:1,OHP

C18:2,OHSP

C18:2,OHOP

C18:1,OHC18:2,OHS

Imaging and spectroscopyThe photographic imaging did not reveal any particularlack of homogeneity in the painting. The image of theultraviolet fluorescence shows many areas on the surfacewith an easily perceptible fluorescence indicating thepresence of organic substances.

The FT-IR-TR spectra acquired in-situ show thecharacteristic bands of white lead (basic lead carbonate).The non-invasive techniques used did not provide anyindication for the identification of the black pigment.

Analytical pyrolysis The pyrolytic profiles of the samples PIpr_01 and PIpr_02 were characterized by thepresence of pyrrole, toluene and other aromatic compounds, characteristic markers of aproteinaceous material: we identified the material as animal glue. Both the profiles werealso characterized by the presence of hexadecanonitrile and octadecanonitrile, highlightingthe presence of egg.

The Py-GC/MS analysis of sample PIpr_06 showed the presence of levoglucosan and othercarbohydrate derivates as main pyrolysis products. These analytical results confirmed thevegetable origin of the canvas fibers, identified as flax or hemp also by SEM morphologicalobservations

The Py-GC/MS analyses of PIpr_07 sample pointed to the presence of traces of betulin andlupeol at high retention times: these triterpenes are characteristic markers of birch pitch.

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Eleonora Maria Stella, Susanna Bracci, Roberta Iannaccone, Jacopo La Nasa, Maria PerlaColombini, «Violon. Céret by Pablo Picasso: the case of a lost painting. A MethodologicalApproach», Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2018, submitted

Documentary researchThe striking result is that absolutely no documentary information regarding the artworkhas been found. There were no objective elements which allowed us to reconstruct thechange of ownership until its discovery in Italy in 2013.

In light of these considerations, its presence in the catalog raisonné of Christian Zervoswith the title Violon. Céret, dates 1912 and shown in an excellent black and whitephotograph, acquires great significance.Art criticism's lack of attention to Violon. Céret is due to the fact that the painting'swhereabouts had always been unknown, meaning it had never been examined directly.It is believed that it is part of a series of works (ten canvases, of which three or fourremained unfinished) which the artist created during his short (from the 19th of May tothe 21st of June) but fruitful stay in Céret in the spring of 1912.Due to the lack of information available regarding this artwork, we have tried to find adocumentary confirmation in the extensive correspondence between Picasso and hisart dealer Daniel Henry Kahnweiler. Picasso, having to leave his studio in Paris withouttaking anything with him, informed Kahnweiler about the progress of his work.

The correspondence between the artist and the artdealer were exanimated to understand the story of thecreation and the behind the work of art.

Conclusive remarks The in-situ non-invasive diagnostic measurements integrated with few microsamplesanalysed in the laboratory with a range of techniques allowed us to identify the paletteand the materials used for the painting of Violon.Céret.

The palette is limited to few colors: white, brown and black, and is completely typical ofthe period. In this regard, the presence of a triterpenic resin as a material used for blackshould be emphasized. The artist himself explained this particular when he wrote fromCéret the merchant, listing, among other things, the few colors he had available forworking. Among these the "mummy brown" is mentioned, which could be made usinga pitch. This can be considered a further objective element for the identification of thepainting among those works realized by Picasso in Céret.

The analysis on the paint binder allowed us to identify the presence of linseed oil andto exclude Ripolin. Also this information was in agreement with the information on theartist correspondence with his artist dealer.

The judgement on authenticity was based on thereported results and the painting has been officiallypresented by our Minister of Beni e Attività Culturali(Dario Franceschini) as original Picasso's work.

This work was performed within the context of the JPI CMOP project: “Cleaning of modern oil paint” (Heritage Plus Joint Call project 2015-2018)