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The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: a Case Study Catherine Sterling Myers University of Pennsylvania

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The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: a Case Study Catherine Sterling Myers University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 1992 A Technical Investigation of Painting Medium: The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: A Case Study Catherine Sterling Myers University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Myers, Catherine Sterling, "A Technical Investigation of Painting Medium: The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: A Case Study" (1992). Theses (Historic Preservation). 260. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/260 Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Myers, Catherine Sterling (1992). A Technical Investigation of Painting Medium: The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: A Case Study. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/260 For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Technical Investigation of Painting Medium: The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: A Case Study Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Myers, Catherine Sterling (1992). A Technical Investigation of Painting Medium: The Analysis of Three Wall Paintings by Constantino Brumidi in the United States Capitol: A Case Study. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/260 UNivERsmy PENNSYLVANIA. UBRARIES A TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION OF PAINTING MEDIUM THE ANALYSIS OF THREE WALL PAINTINGS BY CONSTANTINO BRUMIDI IN THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL A CASE STUDY Catherine Steriing Myers A THESIS in The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation Presented to the faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 1992 t\A\i^wr: atero. Associate Professor , Advisor Alberto TagleT Ana^^tt£aLCfhemist, Conservation Scientist, Reader ^d G. De Lofag^ofessor ofArchitecture Graduate Group Chairman INEAHT8 jN/ii|oa- imi- (m fiE^INbYLV'^ ilA LIBRARIt!:> CONTENTS List of Figures iii Forward i x Chapter 1 : Introduction 1 Chapter 2 : Scientiflc Analysis in Conservation 17 Chapter 3 : Technique 36 Chapter 4 : Methodoigy 66 Chapter 5 : Results 78 Las Casas 80 Bellona 141 Louisiana 211 Chapter 6 : Conclusions 271 Bibliography 274 Appendices 282 Elevation drawings 283 Technical Terms 286 Pigments 289 11 1 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NUMBER DESCRIPTION Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 1 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24 Figure 25 Figure 26 Figure 27 Figure 28 1 Figure 29 Photomicrograph A.I.9.b. 116 Figure 30 Photomicrograph A.I.9.b. 117 Figure 3 Photomicrograph A.I 9.b. 118 Figure 32 Photomicrograph A.I.lO.a. 119 Figure 33 Photomicrograph A.I.lO.a. 120 Figure 34 Photomicrograph A.I.lO.b. 121 Figure 35 Photomicrograph A.I.lO.b. 122 Figure 36 Photomicrograph A.I.13.a. 123 Figure 37 Photomicrograph A.I.13.a. 124 Figure 38 Photomicrograph A.II.l.b 125 Figure 39 Photomicrograph A.II.l.b. 126 Figure 40 Photomicrograph A.II.3.a. 127 Figure 41 Photomicrograph A.II.3.a. 128 Figure 42 Photomicrograph A.II.4.a. 129 Figure 43 Photomicrograph A.II.4.a. 130 Figure 44 Photomicrograph A.II.4.b. 131 Figure 45 Photomicrograph A.II.4.b. 132 Figure 46 Photomicrograph A.II.6.C. 133 Figure 47 Photomicrograph A.II.6.C. 134 Figure 48 Spectra 135 Figure 49 Spectra 136 Figure 50 Spectra 137 Figure 51 Spectra 138 Figure 52 Spectra 139 Figure 53 Spectra 140 Figure 54 Photograph Bellona 150 Figure 55 Photograph Bellona 151 Figure 56 Photograph Bellona 152 Figure 57 Photograph Bellona 153 Figure 58 Riotograph Bellona 154 Figure 59 Photograph Bellona 155 Figure 60 Photograph Bellona 156 Figure 61 Photograph Bellona 157 Figure 62 Photograph Bellona 158 Figure 63 Photograph 6e//o/ia 159 Figure 64 Riotograph Bellona 160 Figure 65 Photograph Bellona 161 Figure 66 Measured Drawing 6e//ona 162 Figure 67 Measured Drawing Bellona 163 Figure 68 Measured Drawing fie//omj 164 Figure 69 Measured Drawing Bellona 165 Figure 70 Photomicrograph B.I. Lb. 166 Figure 71 Photomicrograph B.I.l.b. 167 Figure 72 Photomicrograph B.I.l.b. 168 Figure 73 Photomicrograph B.I 3.a. 169 Figure 74 Photomicrograph B.I3.a. 170 Figure 75 Photomicrograph B.I.4. 171 Figure 76 Photomicrograph B.I.4. 172 Figure 77 Photomicrograph B.I.7.a. 173 Figure 78 Photomicrograph B.I.7.a. 174 Figure 79 Photomicrograph B.I.I 1. 175 Figure 80 Photomicrograph B.I.I 1. 176 Figure 81 Photomicrograph B.I. 12. 177 Figure 82 Photomicrograph B.I. 12. 178 Figure 83 Photomicrograph B.I. 13. 179 Figure 84 Photomicrograph B.I. 13. 180 Figure 85 Photomicrograph B.I. 14. 181 Figure 86 Photomicrograph B.I. 14. 182 Figure 87 Photomicrograph B.II. l.b. 183 Figure 88 Photomicrograph B.II.l.b. 184 Figure 89 Photomicrograph B.II3.a. 185 Figure 90 Photomicrograph B.II.3.a. 186 Figure 91 Photomicrograph B.II.3.b. 187 Figure 92 Photomicrograph B.II3.b. 188 Figure 93 Photomicrograph B.II.4.a. 189 Figure 94 Photomicrograph B.II.4.a. 190 Figure 95 Photomicrograph B.II.5.a. 191 Figure 96 Figure Figure 163 Measured Drawings Louisiana 268 Fioure 164 Measured Drawings Louisiana 269 Fioure 165 Measured Drawings Louisiana 270 . FORWARD This research was prompted by a commission to conserve one of the Brumidi frescoes at the United States Capitol . I chose the subject for several reasons not least of which because it was familiar to me. The resulting research and interpretation are made through the coupling of empirical evidence offered off- site with the knowledge of the technology of fresco as a painting conservator, and, in particular, Brumidi's technique, gained on-site. Neither exists in isolation nor is mutually exclusive. A completed study of the technique of execution of Brumidi's work involves the completion of work initiated here as well as further research, a project well beyond the scope of this research effort. That it would be valuable in better understanding the artist is a judgment to be assessed by the curators of Brumidi's work. I believe that it is valuable in shedding light on Brumidi's technique, in particular, and on fresco technique and the methods for studying it , in general This research has involved the cooperation of several kind people. Thanks to my advisor, Frank Matero, Associate Professor and to my reader, Alberto Tagle, Conservation Scientist. I extend my grateful thanks to Barbara Wolanin, Curator, the Office of the Architect of the United States Capitol, who has supported this research and accomodated me in the numerous inconveniences. Above all, I am grateful to the members of the Conservation Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art who have patiently instructed me in the use of the instruments of the conservation laboratory and generally welcomed me there. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Marigene Butler, Head of Conservation, for allowing me to spend this period of time and, in fact, the course of my graduate career, carrying out independent study at the museum. Special thanks to Beth Price, Chemist, for her generous support and guidance throughout my research; and to Andrew Lins for accomodating me and instructing me in the use of XRD ; and to Sally Malenka and Melissa Meighan for fielding questions. Sincere thanks to my collegues and friends who offered their time and support towards completing this paper, especially Maribel Beas, Doug Hamsberger, Lyssa Papazian and Lori Plavin. Cassie Myers, June 1992 ix . CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The technical study of wall paintings is a necessary process for documenting fine arts and architectural painting technique. It is also a means for testing the potentialities of materials analysis in the study of art and architectural materials. In the broadest sense, the following paper is a technical study of fresco painting. In particular, it is a case study examination aimed at illuminating the technique of Constantino Brumidi in his execution of three of the frescoes located in the Senate Corridors of the United States Capitol. This study focuses primarily upon the identification of the painting medium, the single most important factor in determining the working technique of the artist This research aims to augment and build upon related research efforts. The analytical methods used in this study have been chosen from among many methods employed in the field of conservation of art and antiquities and have been selected for their appropriateness and availabiHty. In the particular case of fluorescence microscopy, the method for identifying binding medium has been selected as an analytical tool because of its economic feasibility for the private conservator. Also informing the choice of analytical methods were technical studies aimed at characterizing binding medium that have been conducted in recent years. Although few of these have been directed at fresco technique, the identification of medium within fresco painting technical investigations is included. • The paintings examined in this project are among a larger ensemble of fresco paintings by Brumidi located throughout the interior of the United States Capitol. These paintings are one of the important contributions made to the building during the Capitol Extension Project of the 1850's- 1870's, directed by architect, Thomas Ustick Walter.
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