Visual Examination and Polarised Light Microscopy

This virtual seminar on Zoom introduces the techniques involved in identifying pigments visually with the aid of a polarising light microscope. The different optical properties of pigments observable with the microscope will be described and demonstrated and methods by which the observed properties can then be used (either directly or from microscopic samples) to identify pigments found on decorative surfaces will be discussed.

Instrumental methods of identifying pigments will be presented in an IAP virtual seminar on March 6th.

Tracey Chaplin is an Independent Scientific Consult specialising in analysis and identification of artists’ materials and their degradation products on objects such as paintings, sculpture, furniture, manuscripts, wallpaper, textiles and architectural elements. This includes the application of microscopy, cross-sectional analysis, spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, X-ray fluorescence and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Tracey lectures in conservation science at the City and Guilds of London Art School, has published extensively and is one of four authors of The Pigment Compendium.