J.CAC VOLUME 32 (2007)
A Technical Study of the Materials and Methods Used by David B. Milne in his Oil Paintings
The opportunity to collect samples from David Milne’s work presented itself in 1991 when a large number of his paintings were assembled for a Milne exhibition organized by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (MCAC) and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Initially a group of paintings was visually examined to determine Milne’s working methods and materials. In collaboration with the conservation department of the MCAC, over 250 samples were taken from a representative selection of 39 oil paintings spanning most of Milne’s career. The sampled paintings belonged to the Milne Family Collection, the MCAC, the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and the University of Toronto. Samples of paints from David Milne’s paintbox, loaned to the Canadian Conservation Institute by David Milne Jr., were also available for analysis. The analyses were carried out using the following techniques: X-ray microanalysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, polarised light microscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Cross-sections of selected samples were also prepared and analysed by incident light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry. The most common pigments identified were: lead white, zinc white, viridian, ultramarine blue, vermilion, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, and ivory black.
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