Unravelling History: Pigment Analysis of Illuminated Manuscript Leaves

On request from Yoshino Gypsum Art Foundation (hereafter “the Foundation”), which collects paintings and artworks to conduct research and exhibit them to the public, HORIBA TECHNO SERVICE analyzed the pigments^*1 in illuminated manuscript^*2 leaves from medieval Europe. In this analysis, two leaves that were single pages of different handwritten books were compared. It was found that even though the blue color used in these two leaves seemed visually identical, the elements in the pigments were different, and also that one used a pigment that was valuable and high-priced at the time. The analysis findings enabled suppositions on who owned and produced the manuscripts.
We spoke with Ms. Nishida, a librarian at the Foundation, and Ms. Sato, a curator, about how scientific analysis is helping in research on illuminated manuscript leaves.

*1 Pigment: Opaque white or colored powder that does not dissolve in water or oil and is used for coloration.
*2 Illuminated manuscript: Handwritten books decorated with gold, silver and vibrant colors.

HORIBA Talk: Could you share the story behind your collecting illuminated manuscript leaves and how you acquired these two leaves?

Ms. Nishida: The Foundation supports artists, exhibits and researches its painting collection, conducts research, and operates an art library to promote art and cultural activities. The illuminated manuscript leaves  analyzed in this study were created in 15th-century France and are part of our art library’s collection. They were acquired as part of a research initiative to trace the history of books. The illustrations and script are entirely hand-drawn on parchment, which is made by carefully thinning and processing animal skin. At our art library, we are now preparing to exhibit books of high artistic and historical value to the general public. In addition to illuminated manuscripts, our collection includes early printed books and exquisitely crafted books from periods when fine bookmaking flourished.

We acquired the leaf with the illustration of Saint Sebastian first, and then, the leaf of King David which was made at the same period and with a similar layout. They retain the color so vividly that you would never believe both are over 500 years old. The illustrations and script are beautiful and are of high rarity and value.

HORIBA Talk: So they are extremely valuable works. You mentioned that these leaves are single pages from manuscripts. That raises the question: what kind of books were they from?

Ms. Nishida: They are both pages from Books of Hours, devotional books owned by Christian people in medieval Europe for their prayers. A Book of Hours was typically a portable volume containing about 100 to 200 pages. First emerging in the mid-13th century, they were produced in such large quantities that they are called the Medieval “best sellers.” They ranged from opulent books ordered by royalty and the aristocracy to ready-made books for the middle class. They were made until around the 16th century even after the advent of the printing press. Not only Books of Hours but illuminated manuscripts in general were damaged for various reasons throughout their long history. Also, there were cases where illustrations alone were cut out and the rest discarded. Most of the invaluable illuminated manuscripts that still exist as whole books are already in the collections of museums and libraries, so naturally, what we could find were single page leaves. Still, it was not easy to come across those in good condition. That’s why we were so excited when a rare book seller in the US introduced us to the leaf of Saint Sebastian, with illustration and lettering of excellent quality and in very good condition.

HORIBA Talk: It was a meeting of fate. Please tell us why you asked HORIBA to perform scientific analysis on such valuable leaves.

Ms. Nishida: We requested scientific analysis to investigate the pigments used in the leaves as part of our basic research.

Ms. Sato: Mr. Naoyoshi Mori, conservator and director of Mori Art Conservation had previously introduced us to HORIBA for the analysis of Vincent van Gogh’s White Vase with Roses in our collection to check its condition. We were able to obtain useful information through the analysis, so we hoped to acquire data of the leaves by conducting similar research. From HORIBA’s product catalog, we learned that you had experience in analyzing Nepali manuscript leaves, and from the previous research and your experience in analyzing leaves, we decided to make the request. The works are invaluable, so it was also appealing that the analysis was non-destructive.

HORIBA Talk: Could you tell us the meaning of the pictures on the leaves?

Ms. Nishida: Books of Hours are formalized to a certain extent, and illustrations are often used to mark a change of chapter. The more opulent books have more illustrations, decorative lettering, and decorations in the margins, but there are also simpler versions with fewer illustrations.
This page has a picture of King David a key figure in the Old Testament. King David was a master of the lyre, and the scene shows him throwing his lyre and crown to the ground, kneeling and praying for repentance. This is a typical composition of King David found in Books of Hours.
On the other leaf, Saint Sebastian is depicted. Saint Sebastian was a third-century Roman solider who was persecuted when his Christian faith came to light. This image shows him bound to a tree, his body pierced by numerous arrows. Actually, at this time, he was miraculously saved from death, though later he was clubbed to death. Among the many saints, Saint Sebastian was particularly venerated in many regions of medieval Europe as the patron saint of plagues because he survived being riddled with arrows.

Ms. Sato: In a different time, he was popular as a young, handsome man depicted half-naked. He holds significant religious meaning but was also a subject of appreciation at the same time.

HORIBA Talk: The history of illuminated manuscript leaves is quite fascinating. What were you able to learn from the results of the analysis?

Ms. Nishida: Our most significant discovery was in the parts where the skies were painted. In both leaves, the skies appear to be in the same shade of blue and it is impossible to tell the difference with the naked eye, but your analysis detected different elements in them, so we could figure that different pigments were used for the blue in the two leaves.
In the King David leaf, copper contained in a material call azurite was detected as the main component. On the other hand, from the blue pigment used in the sky of the Saint Sebastian leaf, analysis detected silicon and aluminum believed to originate from lazurite, the main component of the gemstone lapis lazuli.

Azurite was sourced in Europe and was relatively easy to obtain, whereas it is said lapis lazuli could not be mined locally and had to be imported from Afghanistan. Because it had to be brought from over the sea, it was also called ultramarine. The fact that lapis lazuli was used suggests that the manuscript was commissioned by wealthy patron. Also, we can tell that the artist who painted the miniature of Saint Sebastian was extremely skilled, and with all the intricate details so meticulously rendered, it is so captivating that you can't help but stare at it. We could surmise that the Saint Sebastian leaf had a more lavish construction than the King David leaf, but the analysis further backed up this assumption.

On the Saint Sebastian leaf, the decorative letter “S” uses blue as well, but we also found out that this blue differs from the makeup of the blue used for the sky. The blue parts in the letter are colored using different pigments, as the dark blue parts contain azurite, and the light blue parts with small lines contain lazurite.

Another noteworthy aspect is the application of gold. Gold is used in the halo around Saint Sebastian’s head, which you can see differs from the gold of the sun. There were two methods of applying gold on the manuscripts: applying thin gold leaf on a base made of medium, and applying gold paint (shell gold), made by mixing powdered gold with a binding medium. Here, gold leaf, which sparkles when struck by the light, is used for the halo, while shell gold, is matte sheen, is used for the sun. To the naked eye, the halo appears to sparkle more, but the analysis showed that the sun had a higher gold intensity. It is known that shell gold takes more gold than the thin gold leaf, and the analysis truly proved this. Further investigation of other areas could potentially reveal even more fascinating details.

HORIBA Talk: So by analyzing the pigments you can surmise the type of person who commissioned the manuscript and how it was made. Is there anything else that can be elucidated by analysis?

Ms. Nishida: We have not yet fully analyzed these two works, so using analysis methods other than X-ray, we hope to find out about the dyes made with organic elements and the inks used for the lettering and not only the inorganic pigments*3 analyzed this time. In addition, things can be learned through comparison, so we hope to increase the samples and continue conducting research. Researching the images, decorative patterns, lettering and layouts gives us clues to the places and times these manuscripts were produced. By investigating the historical background, contemporary culture, and the background of manuscript making, we want to continue our research from a perspective that combines history and manuscript production techniques.
We know that other works made in the same workshop that made the Saint Sebastian leaf are conserved in Europe and America, so we hope to exchange information, including our latest analysis results, with these institutions. By sharing information on dispersed pages, it may be possible to draw near to the original form of the manuscript. This of course will not be easy, but similar projects are already underway internationally.

*3 Inorganic pigment: Pigments made from oxide, etc. obtained from chemical reactions with naturally occurring minerals and metals.
 

Ms. Sato: From an artistic perspective, the initial letter seemed to be done by layering different color on top of another one at a glance, but this scientific analysis suggests another possibility that the different colors were applied separately with special technique. I believe that scientific analysis can be valuable not only for identifying pigments but also for investigating painting techniques.
The analysis of techniques can sometimes lead to the identification of the artist. By examining both the pigments used and the techniques employed, we may uncover even more insights.

HORIBA Talk: I heard that this was Ms. Nishida’s first experience with scientific analysis. Conducting scientific analysis for the first time, what were your impressions, and going forward what are your expectations or desires for analytical technology?

Ms. Nishida: This was my first time analyzing an artwork with an analytical system. Before the analysis, I was uncertain due to my lack of prior knowledge, but your staff was very conscientious and patient in providing advice, and thanks to them I quickly acquired the necessary knowledge. I also gained unexpected insights, so I am extremely satisfied with the experience.
Building on this analysis we aim to  further develop our research. When the time comes to present our findings, we would like to publicly exhibit the leaves, and I would be delighted if many people could come and see them.

Ms. Sato: If the works are light and small like manuscripts, they are portable, but some works are large and difficult to move. If you could provide this as a service for onsite investigations, the range of artworks that could be analyzed would expand beyond those in Tokyo. For this reason, I would also love to see you make a lot of light-weighted and high-quality analytical systems.

(Interview date：June, 2021.)

Related Websites

X-ray Analytical Microscope (Micro-XRF) XGT-9000
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