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Table 2 Summary of the pigments found using non-invasive methods in the illuminated manuscript leaves

From: Use of standard analytical tools to detect small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine as observed in 15th-century Venetian illuminated manuscripts

Color of areas

Dormition of the Virgin

St Blaise

St Jerome

St Lawrence

Initial G with The Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Camaldolese Saint

White

Lead whiteb

Lead whitea

Lead whitea

Gypsumb

Lead white

Lead white

Gypsumb (in mosaic gold)?

Lead white

Blue (inside main scene)

Ultramarineb

Smalt (only in sky)b

Lead whiteb

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whitea,b

Ultramarinea

Lead whitea,b

Calcitea

ultramarineb

Smalt

Unknown blueb? (blue oval)

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whiteb

n/a

Blue (outside/ surrounding decoration)

Ultramarineb

Smaltb

Lead whiteb

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whitea,b

Calcitea

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whiteb

ultramarineb

Smalt

Lead whiteb

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whiteb

Ultramarinea

Smalt

Lead whiteb

Red

Red leadb,c

Vermilionb,c

Red earth

Organic redb,c

Red lead (foliage)a

Vermiliona

Organic red?

Red lead (cardinal’s hat)a

Vermiliona

Organic red?

Vermilionb (inner collar)

Red leadb

Organic redb? (pink marginalia)

Red Leada

Vermiliona

Organic redb on calcium substrate?

Red lead (robe)a

Organic red on calcium substrate?

Green

Copper green (likely verdigris)b

Copper green

Carbona

Lead whitea

Copper green

Carbona

Copper green

Copper green

Copper green

Flesh/ Hair

Lead whiteb,c

Vermilionb,c

Red earthb,c

Mosaic gold (beard) b,c

Carbon black (beard) b,c

Lead whitea

Vermiliona

Iron oxide

Mosaic gold (beard)a

Lead tin yellowa

Lead white

Vermiliona

Iron oxide

Carbona

Lead white

Vermilion

Iron oxide

Mosaic gold (hair)

Shell gold (hair)

Lead white

Vermiliona

Iron oxide

Lead white

Vermiliona

Iron oxide

Mosaic gold (beard)

Yellow

Mosaic goldc

Lead tin yellow (type II?)c

Mosaic golda

Ochre

Lead tin yellowa

Mosaic golda

Lead tin yellowa

Shell gold (design on robe)

Lead tin yellow (highlights on green robe and leaves)

Lead tin yellow type I (robe)a

Mosaic golda

Mosaic golda

Lead tin yellowa

Black

Carbon blackc

Carbon blacka with copper-containing particles including azurite

Carbon blacka with copper-containing particles

Carbon blackb

  

Metal

Gold leaf

Silver

 

Gold leaf

Shell gold

Gold leaf

Silver

Gold leaf

Shell gold (window grille)

Gold leaf

Bole

Vermilion

Vermiliona

Lead white

Iron oxide

Gypsum?

Vermilion

Lead white

Iron oxide

Gypsum?

Vermilionb

Vermiliona

Lead white

Iron oxide

Gypsum?

Vermilion

Lead white

Iron oxide

Gypsum?

  1. Pigments inferred from XRF spectra (site-specific and scanning when available) unless additional techniques are noted
  2. aRaman spectroscopy
  3. bFiber-optic reflectance spectroscopy
  4. cOptical microscopy and near-infrared imaging