Discovering the evolution of Jacques-Louis David’s portrait of Antoine-Laurent and Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier

Heritage Science

David Pullins¹  Dorothy Mahon²  Silvia A. Centeno³  Federico Carò³ 

[1] Department of European Paintings, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, 10028, New York, NY, USA;Department of Paintings Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, 10028, New York, NY, USA;Department of Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, 10028, New York, NY, USA;

关键词: Jacques-Louis David;    Antoine Lavoisier;    Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze;    Underlying composition;    IRR;    MA-XRF;    Raman spectroscopy;    SEM–EDS;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40494-021-00551-y

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Jacques-Louis David’s (1748–1825) iconic portrait of Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743–1794) and Marie-Anne Lavoisier (Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze, 1758–1836) has come to epitomize a modern couple born of the Enlightenment. An analytical approach that combined macro-X-ray fluorescence with the examination and microanalysis of samples by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry to investigate imprecise indications of changes to the composition observed by microscopy and infrared refectography allowed the visualization of a hidden composition with a high level of detail. The results revealed that the first version depicted not the progressive, scientific-minded couple that we see today, but their other identity, that of wealthy tax collectors and fashionable luxury consumers. The first version and the changes to the composition are placed in the context of David’s mastery of the oil painting technique by examining how he concealed colorful features in the first composition by using paint mixtures that allowed for maximum coverage with thin paint layers. The limitations of the analytical techniques used are also discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first in-depth technical study of a painting by J.-L. David.

【 授权许可】

CC BY