Unveiled: The Mystery Solved: How Scientists Uncovered the Formula for Jackson Pollock's Vibrant Blue Hues in His Iconic Drip Masterpiece
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and Stanford University have confirmed that Jackson Pollock's iconic painting Number 1A, 1948 uses a bright synthetic pigment called manganese blue. This revelation sheds new light on the artist's masterpiece and offers valuable insights for conservators and art enthusiasts alike.
First invented in 1907 and commercially available from the 1930s, manganese blue was a staple for artists and a trendy additive in pool cement. Known for its ability to absorb green and violet wavelengths, this pigment produces a radiant turquoise colour, contributing to the dynamic contrast and depth in Number 1A, 1948.
Edward Solomon of Stanford University finds it intriguing to understand the molecular level of where the striking colour comes from, while MoMA conservation scientist Abed Haddad sees similarities between the way they worked and Pollock's painting process. The researchers used Raman spectroscopy to analyze samples of the blue paint from the painting.
The authors of the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, wrote that Pollock created the colour intuitively, without being aware of the underlying excited-state exchange interactions that produce manganese blue's unique hue.
This newfound knowledge about the pigment used in Number 1A, 1948 can be critical for developing effective strategies for displaying the painting. For instance, understanding how it might age under light, heat, or humidity can help conservators preserve the artwork for future generations.
Interestingly, Pollock's contemporaries considered him a trailblazer who 'broke the ice' and invented a new category: action painting. His paintings, such as Number 1A, are known for their apparent disorder and hidden mastery, a testament to the real art happening in the act itself, in the risk of pouring, flinging, and moving in sync with the canvas on the floor.
While Rutgers University's Gene Hall, who has studied Pollock's paintings but was not part of the new research, did not participate in this study, his perspective underscores the ongoing fascination with Pollock's work. As he aptly puts it, the real art in Pollock's work happens in the act itself, in the risk of pouring, flinging, and moving in sync with the canvas on the floor.
By the 1990s, manganese blue had disappeared from the market due to environmental concerns. However, its legacy lives on in Pollock's Number 1A, 1948, a testament to the artist's innovative use of materials and his enduring influence on modern art.
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