Course on analysis of organic materials in art

The Understanding and Analysis of Organic Materials in Art
Capita selecta : proteins; natural organic dyes and pigments
Horn, Austria
3-7 September 2012

Further education course held by Dr. Jan Wouters

Short description of the course
Introduction

    A short introduction will be given to understand why the
    analysis of organic materials in art requires an approach
    different from the analysis of inorganics. It will explain that
    the key features of organic analysis are analytical and spatial
    resolution. It will lead to suggesting logical sequences of
    hyphenated analytical approaches.

Proteins

    The course on proteins aims at improving the understanding of
    the diversity of proteins present in materials used for the
    creation of objects of art and culture as well as for their
    conservation. The traject of understanding starts from the
    elementary building blocks, amino acids, and ends with the
    smallest observable morphology. The clarification of the
    scanning electron microscopic morphology of a collagen
    microfibril and of its properties is taken as an example. The
    multi-level spatial configuration of proteins will be explained
    and will be at the basis for understanding protein degradation
    and enzyme activities.

    The potential of calibrated amino acid analysis with
    high-performance liquid chromatography will be illustrated with
    a series of examples within a heritage context.

    Practicals include the making of models of amino acids and small
    peptides to illustrate optical and position isomerism and to
    understand spatial configurations; the calculation of the
    isoelectric point of some amino acids will improve the
    understanding of this important parameter.

Natural organic dyes and pigments

    The course on natural organic dyes and pigments aims at
    explaining why the enormous diversity of these materials should
    be considered an advantage for contributing to the understanding
    of heritage, rather than a disadvantage. Nowadays, the analysis
    of organic dyes and pigments should stretch beyond the mere
    reporting that such a material is present, without any further
    specification. The course will give a detailed overview of
    organic colourant chemical classes. It will report on the
    structure of a relevant research project. It will show the
    potential of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a
    diode-array and a mass detector for identifying up to seven
    biological sources, used to perform one single colouration in
    the past. Several other examples will show how detailed organic
    colourant analysis may contribute to the understanding of
    heritage.

    Practicals include dyeing experiments with natural organic
    colourants to illustrate the main dyeing processes.

    Elaborate description of the course content

Proteins

    A short history

    Correlations between perception and composition

    Classification of proteins

    Amino acids: basic structure; isomerism; amphoteric character;
    isoelectric point; all structures; isoelectric point
    calculations

    Peptides

    Conformation of proteins: primary, secondary, tertiary and
    quaternary structures

    Bonds and interactions in and between polypeptide chains

    The conformation of collagen, leading to the construction of a
    collagen fibril

    Proteins in use in art and in art conservation practice:
    gelatin; ovalbumin; casein

    Alteration/degradation phenomena in proteins: denaturation;
    oxidation; hydrolysis

    Enzymes: history; importance; catalytic action; important
    parameters to observe; hints for purchase; important enzyme
    classes (proteases, amylases, lipases)

    Practicals

    Calibrated amino acid analysis by high-performance liquid
    chromatography and fluorescence detection at the sub-microgram
    of protein level

    Sources of error in amino acid analysis

    Examples of contributions of calibrated amino acid analysis to
    improving the understanding of heritage: paint binding medium;
    archaeological textile pseudomorphs; leather degradation;
    parchment degradation; baroque artificial marble; wool
    degradation; yarns in colonial Andean tapestries

Natural organic dyes and pigments

    The definition of a dyestuff

    The history of dyeing

    Nomenclature of colouring matters, biological sources and
    individual components

    Reading botanical information

    Chemical structures of main dye classes (quinonoid, flavonoid;
    indigoid; tannin; other)

    Important parameters in analytical protocols

    Analytical resolution and identification potential

    The high-performance analytical protocol

    Examples of contributions of organic colourant analysis to the
    understanding of heritage: a project on early Chinese organic
    pigments; identification of scale insect red dyes; analysis of
    faded colourants; technologies for dyeing purple and red in
    Roman and Coptic Egypt; precolumbian dyes in Colombia and Peru;
    theory and practice in dyeing Florentine borders; distinguishing
    between East and West

    Practicals: dyeing with cochineal, indigo and safflower; pigment
    preparation with brazilwood

The course language will be English.

The deadline for application is one month before the course starts.

The course fee plus accommodation (4 nights) is 830.00 Euro plus 10%
VAT.

The number of participants is restricted to 12,

Registration under

    <URL:http://www.buchstadt.at/?id=161n&L=3>

Accommodation during the course within the building (guesthouse) is
obligatory and included in the price. The guesthouse offers a
kitchen where participants can prepare own meals and the close
connection to the venue is of advantage, but there is no TV and no
telephone in the rooms. Internet is available in the rooms with a
direct connection.

In case you wish for a hotel, which is 5 minutes walk from the
venue, but provides all facilities a hotel normally has, we ask you
to express this explicitly, so we can make reservation and the
extra billing for you.

After application you will be provided with further information.

Dr. Patricia Engel
European Research Centre for Book and Paper Conservation-Restoration
Wienerstrasse 2
3580 Horn
Austria
+43 650 58 71 877
+43 2982 200 30 31
Fax: +43 2982 200 30 28


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:37
                 Distributed: Sunday, February 12, 2012
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