Study of a Brazilian manuscript from the 18th century: Physicochemical identification of inks compositions and elucidation of painting techniques

The statute of the first black's brotherhood founded in the historic city of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil is described in the commitment book of Irmandade de Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos from Nossa Senhora do Pilar Parish of Vila Rica, 1750. This book is decorated with several miniature paintings, using a mixed tempera and watercolor technique, in which the blue color is employed throughout. To identify the materials used for the book decoration, 180 measurements of X-ray fluorescence with energy disper-sion were performed and nine samples were collected for analysis using Raman spectroscopy. Gold, silver and brass gilding were identified. Iron gall ink was used in the text. In the paints, coloring materials were identified in the blue (indigo, azurite, prussiates and phthalocyanine blue), yellow (iron ochers), red (ver-milion and hematite), violet (PV23), white (calcite and lead carbonate) and black (amorphous carbon and graphite) colors. Prussian blue, Berlin green, Berlin white and Na-Prussian white, prussiates, were found as mixtures. The results of the analysis, along with information obtained from historical documentary sources allowed the elucidation of the painting techniques that were employed widespreadly throughout Brazil during the XVIII century. As far as we know, the present work is one of the first reports of the use of Prussian Blue, well documented in Brazil.(c) 2022 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This paragraph describes the statute of the first black's brotherhood in Ouro Preto, Brazil. Through X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy analysis, the materials used for the book decoration were identified, including gold, silver, brass gilding, and various colors. The study also revealed the painting techniques widely used in Brazil during the 18th century, including the use of Prussian Blue.