Pigments and dyes of the works of art in Portugal, in the beginning of the 17th century, according to the Filipe Nunes' treatise on painting

• Main Author: António João Cruz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Profissional de Conservadores - Restauradores de Portugal 2007-01-01
• Series: Conservar Património
• Subjects: Pigments; Dyes; Lakes; Colours; Painting; Sculpture; Treatises
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.14568/cp6_5
• ISSN: 1646-043X; 2182-9942

The painting treatise published in 1615 by Filipe Nunes, entitled Arte da Pintura, has great significance for the study of the 17th century Portuguese painting materials and techniques, especially for the first half of the century. However, the mentioned pigments and dyes are not always easy to identify due to the changes in nomenclature that have occurred since then. This study pretends to report those materials and to establish the correspondence between them and the modern names. Whenever the materials identification was not evident, several sources of data were considered: the details provided by the treatise, the studies already published relevant to the subject and several documentary sources, particularly those of the time. Although some doubts still persist about some names, 24 pigments and 10 dyes were identified. This study has provided information that will constitute a reference useful for the analytical study of works of art, the conservation treatments and the interpretation of other technical treatises. It has also brought to light the great diversity of dyes that might have been used in works of art, as opposed to the few cases where they have been identified by analysis. This suggests that redoubled care should be taken in scientific studies of works of art, where the information obtained by conservators-restorers should play an important role.