Debret or Not? A Physicochemical Study of Prints from the Castro Maya Museum

Valter de Souza Felix; André Rocha Pimenta; Yasmin da Rocha Fereira Felix; Rafaela Andrade Mesquita; Renato Pereira de Freitas

doi:10.5433/1679-0375.2025.v46.52860

Debret or Not? A Physicochemical Study of Prints from the Castro Maya Museum

Authors

Valter de Souza Felix Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7090-6321
André Rocha Pimenta Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5492-3009
Yasmin da Rocha Fereira Felix Universidade Candido Mendes https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3561-6345
Rafaela Andrade Mesquita Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9569-0961
Renato Pereira de Freitas Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6011-0920

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0375.2025.v46.52860

Keywords:

Debret, watercolor prints, MA-XRF, FTIR, authentication

Abstract

This study presents a physico-chemical investigation of six watercolor prints attributed to Jean-Baptiste Debret, part of the collection held by the Castro Maya Museum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The authenticity of several works in the museum’s Debret collection has been questioned, leading to the formation of a national commission that identified 40 out of 42 disputed pieces as forgeries. To contribute to the technical analysis of these works, this research applied non-invasive methods - macro X-ray fluorescence mapping (MA-XRF) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) - to analyze pigments, binders, and paper fiber composition. Comparative multivariate statistical analyses were performed using principal component analysis (PCA) and component analysis robust (RPCA), aiming to identify chemical patterns distinguishing authentic works from those of unknown authorship. The results suggest significant differences between prints considered authentic and those of uncertain origin, particularly in the distribution and composition of binders and pigments. Similarities found in the use of Prussian blue pigment were not sufficient to establish authorship. This work demonstrates the value of scientific methods in art authentication and highlights the need for further interdisciplinary studies in museum collections.

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Author Biographies

Valter de Souza Felix, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro

PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2021).

André Rocha Pimenta, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro

Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation, LISCOMP/IFRJ-CPAR, 26600-000, Paracambi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Yasmin da Rocha Fereira Felix, Universidade Candido Mendes

Specialization in labor law, labor procedure, and social security law from Instituto Universitário Cândido Mendes, Brazil (2019).

Rafaela Andrade Mesquita, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro

Undergraduate student in mechanical engineering at IFRJ, with experience in scientific research in spectroscopy applied to works of art and development of methodologies for spectral data analysis.

Renato Pereira de Freitas, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro

Laboratory of Instrumentation and Computational Simulation, LISCOMP/IFRJ-CPAR, 26600-000, Paracambi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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