Pigment Identification on “The Ecstasy of St. Theresa” Painting by Raman Microscopy

Abstract

A study of the pigments of The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, a 17th-century oil painting on canvas, was performed by Raman microscopy. Lazurite was identified in both Christ's and St. Theresa's mantles as the pigment responsible for the blue coloration. Litharge was identified inside the black bitumen layer. Usually, bitumen needed a lot of time to dry in the air when mixed with drying oil. Litharge was used by the artist to decrease the oil drying time. A complementary study, using micro-Raman and scanning electron microscopy, made it possible to identify red ocher as the pigment responsible for the red coloration in the altar on the left side of the painting.