Discussing the six paintings by Massimo Campigli at MAC USP from the point of view of plastic arts and of results of analyses using image and spectroscopic techniques

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the discussion of the results obtained with non-invasive image and spectroscopic analyzes (to determine chemical elements and compounds) on the six paintings by the German artist, naturalized Italian, Massimo Campigli, that belong to the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo (MAC USP). Aspects of the artist’s trajectory, the plastic solutions of the artworks, along with the analyzes made with the spectroscopic techniques of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF), Raman, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and the imaging techniques of visible photography (VIS), raking light (RAK), transmitted light (TRANS), visible ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), and radiography (RAD) offer important information on the artist and on his work. These non-invasive analyzes were carried out in the museum itself with portable equipment from the Laboratory of Archaeometry and Applied Sciences to Cultural Heritage (LACAPC) of the Physics Institute (IF) of USP. Overall, the results obtained corroborate with Campigli’s testimonies about his artistic practice, as well as those of people who saw him working in his studio. His palette choice, composed by natural and synthetic pigments, mostly whites and paints with earthy tones, and his creative steps of creating and recreating the paintings, reusing canvases many times, were proven to be true with the analytical investigations.

KEYWORDS:
Massimo Campigli; Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo; Non-invasive analysis; Italian modern art; Spectroscopy; Imaging