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Bronken investigates the phenomenon of soft and dripping paint found in 20th-century oil paintings – a challenge for both the conservator and curator. The constituents of the paint used by various 20th-century artists are examined together with particular artists’ working habits and the locations and conditions in which they produced and kept their works. The main focus of study is 23 paintings by members of the Cobra and Art Autre groups, who were active in the 1950s and 1960s and it seems that their common links to Paris, pollution and high humidity may be important factors in artworks displaying soft paint.
The text combined with handsome illustrations throughout will assist in the examination and identification of similar issues in 20th-century paintings.
Ida Bronken is Senior Paintings Conservator, National Museum of Norway
Preface
Acknowledgements
1 Soft and dripping paint: a 20th-century challenge
Soft and dripping oil paint: a young challenge in conservation
Oil paint in the 20th century
Artists’ biographies, evaluating and investigating material history
The curing and aging of oil paint
Hypotheses for soft and dripping oil paint
Research questions
Selection of paintings
2 Phenomenology of 20th-century paint. Soft and dripping oil paint: condition categories and their related issues
Soft oil paint
Solid surface medium 30Matt and cracking paint
Water-sensitivity and solubility in oil paint
Conclusion
3 Artists’ biographies: studios and personal finances
Environmental impact on oil paint and possible local variations
Biographical background 39Artists’ biographies
Discussion
4 Material practices: the artist’s choices and preferences
Asger Jorn
Karel Appel
Stephen Gilbert
Pierre Alechinsky
Jean-Paul Riopelle
Pierre Soulages
The use of substitute oils: implications of the use of fish oil by Cobra artists
Conclusion
5 Conclusion
Research questions and outset
Methodology and setup
Examination of the paintings
Condition categories
Biographical context
Artists’ choices of materials
Discussion and relevance of findings
Impact for conservation
Outlook
Bibliography