Infrared reflectography – Apollo camera (Opus)
We are delighted to share with you our latest acquisition: the Apollo IR camera (Opus System).
Corpus matériel de Le CORBUSIER
Le CARAA a initié un nouveau projet de recherche avec la Fondation le Corbusier. Ce projet porte sur l’analyse physico-chimique des matériaux utilisés par le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret).
Le CORBUSIER’s material corpus
CARAA has initiated a new research project with the Le Corbusier Foundation. This project focuses on the physicochemical analysis of the materials used by Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret).
Study of the 18th, 19th & 20th century collections of the Galliera Museum
The CARAA is participating in a study on toxic products in the textile collections of the Musee Galliera (France), arsenic, mercury, lead, etc.
Paintings
Painting analysis (on canvas, panel, paper, etc …) comes through the study of the pigments used, the media, the preparation layers, the binders or the varnishes. Spectroscopic analyzes (eg. FTIR, Raman, XRF, … ) help mainly to characterize these materials in order to determine the date of completion, the state of conservation or possible restoration…
Sponsorship & internships at CARAA
Each year, CARAA engages through skills sponsorship and internships with students in conservation-restoration and chemistry.
Painted backgrounds at the Vasarely foundation
Étude des fonds d’œuvre à la fondation Vasarely. Avec ARCOART
The Chapel of the Musical Angels at Le MANS
Studies prior to the restoration in the Chapel of the Musical Angels at Le MANS This preliminary study carried out in collaboration with ARTHEMA restoration was carried out in the Chapel of the Virgin -XIVth century – (or Chapel of the Musical Angels) of the Saint Julien Cathedral of Le Mans. It aims to…
The Treasure Behind the Wall …
In Paris, the incredible story of a work of art found by chance … Details of analyzes and examinations conducted at CARAA
Multispectral Camera
CARAA has recently acquired a new XpeCAM X01 multispectral camera. This camera equipped with 30 filters covers the region from 360 to 1200 nm and allows to observe “beyond the visible” in the ultraviolet and infra-red regions and to detect restorations, repentances or preparatory drawings. But, it also allows to extract the reflectance spectra of…
Painted parchments by Michel le Nobletz
Physico-chemical Analyzes and Multispectral examinations The CARAA had the honor to participate with the DRAC Bretagne and Marine Letouzey in a vast study of painted parchments by Michel le Nobletz (named the “mad priest”) kept in the Diocese of Quimper. These parchments dated from the 16th and 17th centuries, some of which were painted…
Peintures Romaines de la basilique de Tongres
Analyses Physico-chimiques des peintures Menées durant neuf années, les fouilles de la basilique Notre-Dame de Tongres ont mis au jour une quantité importante de peintures murales fragmentaires. L’étude globale de ces enduits a fait l’objet d’un marché public lancé par l’Agence du Patrimoine de Flandre, attribué au Centre des Peintures Murales Romaines de Soissons.…
XRF Workshop
Elemental analyses by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy Conservation students from the Ecole de Condé (Paris) participated in a workshop dedicated to the use and interpretation of elementary analyses by mean of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The artworks analysed during this workshop were: “Mademoiselle de Sens”, (Att. to N. de Largillierre), 18th century, (Museum of Sens)…
Discovery of a painting by Le Nain
Analytical study of a painting recently attributed to Le Nain “Christ at Martha and Mary” is a painting discovered in the church of Saint-Didier in 2012 in France and today attributed to Mathieu Le Nain. After an important restoration by J. Szpila Verdavaine, it is now visible in the exhibition of the Louvre-Lens. CARAA participated…
National Archeology Days
CARAA will be present at the National Archeology Days in Paris on June 16, 17 & 18th. We invite you to come and meet us to discuss all issues you are facing. Details related to this event (exact locations and detailed program will be posted soon). The web page dedicated to the JNA is already…
Beyond visible
Optical observation is the first examination to be made. It is the fundamental mean in expertise and the most obvious of visual examinations. Macroscopic examinations (using naked eye) are distinguished from microscopic examinations (using a microscope). Depending on the angle of illumination (microscopically or macroscopically), direct or raking light, can give different types of information.…
General
Etude élémentaire d’alliages à base de cuivre représentatifs d’objets d’art et historiques.• Heginbotham A. et al., 2010, at Metal 2010, ICOM-CC Interim Meeting, Charleston, USA. pdf Etude non invasive et cartographie par spectroscopie de fluorescence X appliquée à quatre grandes familles d’objets d’art : métaux, peintures, verres et manuscrits. Trentelman K. et al., 2009, X-Ray…
Toxic material
Etude et identification de fibres d’amiante dans une collection de livres du 18ème s. • Bouchard M. et al., 2008, at AIC’2008, Denver, USA. pdf Etude et identification de fibres d’amiante dans une « lanterne magique » (fin 19ème s.) (non publié) Identification d’uranium dans une photographie utilisant le procédé Uranotype. (non publié) Etude de…
Organic material
Etude et mise en place d’une base de données par chromatographie gazeuse pour l’étude des documents graphiques. • Bouchard, M., 1996 : La constitution des encres, papyrus et autres documents graphiques par C.P.G., Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Documents Graphiques (C.R.C.D.G), CNRS, Paris. pp.51 + annexes. Analyse des multiples couches de restaurations appliquées…
Contemporary material
Etude comparative de différents produits à base de cellulose. • Schilling M. et al., 2010, Accounts of Chemical Research, pdf Etude exhaustive de nombreuses sculptures d’extérieur peintes provenant de la collection Stark (Calder, Leger, Lichtenstein, etc.) • Considine B. et al., 2010, The Conservation of the Stark Collection, Getty Pub., Los Angeles/USA. online Analyse du…
Stained-glasses
Etude thématique de la composition de vitraux et de leur dégradation • Bouchard M. et al., 2007, Spectrochimica Acta, 68, 1101-1113. online • Bouchard M., février 2001, Les vitraux : composition et altérations. Fiches in Archéologia, 375. pdf
Gem, Minerals and Rocks
Mise en place d’une base de données spectrales pour la caractérisation de matériaux présents dans les objets d’art et archéologiques. • Bouchard, M., Smith D.C., 2003, Spectrochimica Acta A, 59, 10, 2247-2266. online Etude en pré-acquisition d’un “Christ en Majesté », Limoges (~1188) (non publié, voir la page de l’objet) Etude d’un buste en albâtre…
Metals and Corrosion
Etude de collections numismatiques antiques et modernes (composition des alliages et altération). • Bouchard, M., Smith D.C., 2001, Asian Chemistry Letters, 5, N° 3, 157-169; pdf • Bouchard M., 1999, in Numismatique & Change, 299, 29-31. pdf Etude non-destructive des produits de corrosion sur divers objets métalliques archéologiques. • Bouchard M., Smith D.C., in GEORAMAN…
Paintings and Pigments
Etude des pigments préhistoriques de divers sites rupestres dans le Quercy (France) •Smith D.C. et al., 1999, J. Raman Spectrosc. 30, 347-354 online • Smith D.C., Bouchard M., 2001, in La grotte de Pergouset, Ed. Lorblanchet M., Daf, Paris, 174-180 pdf Etude des pigments préhistoriques de la grotte de Mayenne-Science (France) • Pigeaud R. et al.,…
Meetings
Meeting on “Archaeological Metals” Brussels (Belgium), Thursday 8 and Friday, May 9, 2014. CARAA will be present at the conference “The Preservation of Archaeological Metals, from first aid to long-term conservation” in Brussels (Belgium) on Thursday 8 and Friday, May 9, 2014. Do not hesitate to contact us or submit your issues on that occasion.…
Social Network
Social Network and Media Have a look at the last news in Conservation and Restoration on the pages of CARAA in Google +, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Teaching
CARAA participates to the teaching and training of the future Art market actors, experts and conservators at the Écoles de Condé and at the Institut National du Patrimoine (INP).
Exhibition
CARAA is at the MANS’ART (2013) Le Mans, city of art and history, welcomes on April 5th, 6th and 7th 2013 the 2nd edition of Mans’Art Days exhibition opened to heritage crafts: restoration, conservation, old books and antiques. CARAA will be present in the St Julien Cathedral in the heart of the old town of Le Mans.…
Statments
Summary of analytical report (statment): Painting on canvas, portrait of a woman On November 21th 2012, CARAA was mandated to analyze by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) three areas of a painting on canvas depicting the portrait of a woman. The analyzed areas concerned three colors: The white, identified as lead white with traces of lithopone. The…
Research
New research program “GALLE”: Non-invasive study of the work of the glass maker Emile Gallé CARAA, in collaboration with the LARCROA and the Museum of the Ecole de Nancy started a new research program to better understand and to reference the material used by one of the most distinguished glass masters of Art Nouveau, Emile…
Photographs
Photographs are mixed materials and therefore complex. They combine organic support (paper, cloth, …) or inorganic (metal, glass, …), extremely diverse printing and fixing processes or stabilizing and retouching techniques. Our role at CARAA is to determine the most appropriate physico-chemical tools that will help identifying and differentiating scientifically these different manufacturing processes. The photographic…