In samples from three paintings by Rembrandt has been found a rare mineral plumonary used today in the automotive industry for fixing the colors of red and orange hues

Special impasto style of painting of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn for centuries haunted the critics. Gradually, they found out that Rembrandt used common in the Netherlands of the XVII century color pigments such as white lead (obtained artificially), cerussite (natural lead white, are much less common) and organic materials (e.g., linseed oil). However, to fully the secret of the colorful compositions of the great masters not revealed until now. But the veil of secrecy lifted a recent study in the scientific complex of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in the French Grenoble. To study the chemical composition of the impasto paintings of Rembrandt were taken of the microsamples of the three paintings – "Suzanne" (Mauritshuis, the Hague), "bathing Bathsheba" (Louvre, Paris) and "Portrait of Martin Almanza" (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam).

the Results stunned scientists. All three samples were found very rarely in paintings of mineral lumbosacral. It can be found in one painting by van Gogh, some paintings of the twentieth century, and never previously come across in the paintings of the Old Masters. Today it is used in the automotive industry — for fixing colors of red and orange hues. Moreover, the study showed that the mineral was there in the paint layer of the paintings of Rembrandt is not the result of chance or an unwanted chemical reaction for the century of existence, and the result of the purposeful synthesis.

the Presence in the paint layer of plumbogummite indicates the presence of an alkaline environment. "Based on historical texts, we believe that Rembrandt was able to do this [alkaline] to add lead oxide, or lital in oil to this mixture to obtain paste-like paint", — comments expert ESRF Marin Kott.

This discovery could help in the conservation and restoration of paintings by Rembrandt. But, of course, the artist could have used other recipes colorful compositions. All this should be subject of future studies.

the Material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, news.artnet.com, artinvestment.ru