Analysis of Oval Paintings Attributed to the Painter Leandro Joaquim Using XRF and MA-XRF

Analysis of Oval Paintings Attributed to the Painter Leandro Joaquim Using XRF and MA-XRF

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0375.2025.v46.52832

Keywords:

pigment analysis, XRF, MA-XRF, PCA

Abstract

Three paintings attributed to the Brazilian artist Leandro Joaquim (1738–1798) were analyzed in situ using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and macro X-ray fluorescence scanning (MA-XRF) techniques. The artworks belong to the collection of the Museu Histórico Nacional in Rio de Janeiro and depict landscapes of the city during the colonial period. Due to their compositional and aesthetic similarities, the paintings have been treated as a collection. The analyses revealed the presence of pigments such as lead white (2PbCO3 .Pb(OH)2, green earth (K(Al,Fe 3+), (Fe2+,Mg)O10 (OH)2), raw umber (Fe2O3 + MnO2), and vermilion (HgS) in all three paintings. It was also observed that all the artworks contain a lead-based ground layer. To further investigate the similarities among the paintings, the XRF data were submitted to Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which confirmed the similarity in their elemental composition. The results suggest that the paintings were created using compatible materials and techniques, reinforcing the hypothesis of a common authorship and production within the same historical and technical context.

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Author Biographies

Ana Leticia Castro de Oliveira, Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Ph.D. Student, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation (LIETA), Institute of Physics, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Renato Pereira de Freitas, Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Professor and Researcher, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

André Rocha Pimenta , Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Professor and Researcher, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Valter de Souza Felix, Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Professor and Researcher, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Monica Grôppo Parma, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Ph.D. Student, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Isolda Maria de Castro Mendes, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Professor and Researcher, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Marcelino José dos Anjos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Professor and Researcher, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation (LIETA), Institute of Physics, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Published

2025-09-12

How to Cite

Oliveira, A. L. C. de, Freitas, R. P. de, Pimenta , A. R., Felix, V. de S., Parma, M. G., Mendes, I. M. de C., & Anjos, M. J. dos. (2025). Analysis of Oval Paintings Attributed to the Painter Leandro Joaquim Using XRF and MA-XRF. Semina: Ciências Exatas E Tecnológicas, 46, e52832. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0375.2025.v46.52832

Issue

Vol. 46 (2025)

Section

Archaeometry (special section)

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Leticia Castro de Oliveira, Renato Pereira de Freitas, André Rocha Pimenta , Valter de Souza Felix, Monica Grôppo Parma, Isolda Maria de Castro Mendes, Marcelino José dos Anjos

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