Characterization of Pigments and Materials of the Original Body and Additions of the Book of  Hours 50,1,1 from the Brazilian National Library

Isamara Lara de Carvalho; Renato Pereira de Freitas; Hiram da Costa Araújo Filho; Ana Luísa de Queiroz Baddini; Ana Letícia Castro de Oliveira; Letícia Silva de Paula; Luisa Malizia Alves

doi:10.5433/1679-0375.2023.v44.47965

Characterization of Pigments and Materials of the Original Body and Additions of the Book of Hours 50,1,1 from the Brazilian National Library

Authors

Isamara Lara de Carvalho Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG and National Library Foundation - FBN https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8717-2777
Renato Pereira de Freitas Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6011-0920
Hiram Araújo Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3443-4282
Ana Luísa Baddini Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6941-8424
Ana Letícia Castro de Oliveira Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1631-6209
Letícia Silva de Paula Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8066-8594
Luisa Malizia Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1744-7019

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0375.2023.v44.47965

Keywords:

books of hours, pigments, non-invasive analyses, material characterization, authenticity

Abstract

The Brazilian National Library has in its collection a luxurious book of hours from the Royal Library of Portugal. For a long time, it was believed to have been made by the Italian painter Spinello Spinelli for King Fernando I (1345-1383) in 1378. This is due to the information in its colophon and the presence of a coat of arms of the Portuguese crown on the opening folio. According to recent studies, this is an example of a rare group of Flemish books of hours from ca. 1460 to English use – raising questions about the codex origin, dating, recipient, and route. To collaborate in this investigation, a material characterization study was proposed using non-invasive analyses, such as optical microscopy (OM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). The following pigments and materials were identified: lead white, minium, vermilion, lead-tin yellow, azurite, malachite, brazilwood lake, iron gall inks of different compositions and metals in foil or powder, namely gold and silver; moreover, the identification of lapis lazuli, Armenian bole and a different red organic lake in the colophon was decisive in corroborating the thesis of art historians, confirming the production period of the original body of the manuscript to the 15^th century and that the colophon and coat of arms are later additions. Additionally, it was revealed that the coat of arms was superimposed on a previous shield.

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Author Biographies

Isamara Lara de Carvalho, Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG and National Library Foundation - FBN

PhD student, UFMG, MG, Brazil and Master in Conservation and Restoration, UNL/NOVA, Lisbon, Portugal

Renato Pereira de Freitas, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ

Dr. Prof., LISComp, IFRJ, Paracambi, RJ, Brazil

Hiram Araújo, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ

Dr. Prof., Instrumental Analysis Lab, IFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Ana Luísa Baddini, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ

Dr. Prof., Instrumental Analysis Lab, IFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Ana Letícia Castro de Oliveira, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro - IFRJ

Master Student, LISComp, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Letícia Silva de Paula, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ

Undergraduate Student, Chemistry Dept., UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Luisa Malizia, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ

B.A. in Conservation and Restoration, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

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