The Ability of the EPR MOUSE to Study Underpaintings

Abstract

The possibility of using the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) mobile universal surface explorer (MOUSE) to study underpaintings is validated. The depth sensitivity of the EPR MOUSE is measured using an EPR standard, and is verified using three paramagnetic pigments in an acrylic binder under opaque acrylic layers of titanium white and lead white. The ability to distinguish and identify two layers of EPR signal-bearing pigments is shown using pairwise sets of ultramarine, Egyptian, and Han blue pigments in an acrylic binder. And finally, the spatial imaging capability is demonstrated using a printed design of magnetite black covered with a solid second layer of the pigment. These studies demonstrate that EPR spectroscopy with the EPR MOUSE is a viable method for studying paramagnetic and ferrimagnetic underlayers of pigments.

Keywords

• underpainting
• EPR MOUSE
• EPR spectroscopy
• EPR imaging
• electron paramagnetic resonance
• hidden paint layer