After nearly eight decades, researchers have finally identified the mysterious blue pigment that has captivated art experts and viewers in Jackson Pollock's masterpiece "Number 1A, 1948." A team of scientists led by chemist Alexander Heyer from Stanford University has solved this long-standing puzzle using advanced analytical techniques, revealing new insights into the revolutionary artist's creative process and material choices.
Pollock's "Number 1A, 1948" stands as one of the most recognizable works in modern art history, known for its distinctive and vibrant electric turquoise blue that seems to glow against the chaotic backdrop of black, white, red, and yellow paint splatters. Despite multiple previous attempts by art historians and scientists to identify this striking color, the exact nature of the pigment remained elusive for 77 years.
The breakthrough came when researchers carefully extracted microscopic samples of the blue paint from the artwork and analyzed them using Raman spectroscopy, a technique that uses laser light to detect the unique molecular vibrations of different materials. Previous attempts using this method had failed because the fluorescence from Pollock's oil-based paint binder interfered with the results. However, the Stanford team's crucial innovation was using a lower energy laser line of 785 nanometers, which allowed them to successfully compare the paint samples with known spectral signatures.
The analysis revealed that Pollock had used manganese blue, also known as barium manganate sulfate, a synthetic pigment that was relatively new to the art world at the time. First developed in 1907 and introduced commercially in the 1930s, manganese blue was prized by artists for its ability to create an incredibly pure, almost electric blue color. Unlike traditional blue pigments such as ultramarine, cobalt blue, or Prussian blue, manganese blue possessed unique optical properties that allowed it to filter out non-blue light wavelengths, resulting in exceptionally clean and vivid hues.
Pollock's revolutionary painting technique, known as drip painting, involved abandoning traditional easels and instead laying canvases flat on the floor of his studio. He would then walk around the canvas, allowing paint to drip, splash, and flow in ways that reflected his physical and emotional engagement with the medium. This method broke conventional artistic rules and established Pollock as a pioneer of the Abstract Expressionist movement. His eclectic choice of materials included both traditional oil paints and industrial-grade house paints, creating unique textures and visual effects.
The research team's findings add manganese blue to the official catalog of pigments known to have been used by Pollock, which previously included ultramarine, phthalocyanine blue, cobalt blue, and Prussian blue. The scientists explained that manganese blue's distinctive properties stem from two specific electronic transition bands that enable the pigment to accomplish what they described as "a difficult task: creating clean hues from colors in the center of the visible spectrum."
However, the story of manganese blue carries a darker chapter. Despite its remarkable visual properties that made it highly sought after by artists, the pigment was eventually banned due to serious health and environmental concerns. The toxic nature of its chemical composition posed risks to both artists who worked with it and the broader environment, leading to its removal from the commercial art supply market.
This discovery not only solves a decades-old mystery but also provides valuable insights into Pollock's artistic choices and the experimental nature of mid-20th century art materials. The identification of manganese blue in "Number 1A, 1948" demonstrates how Pollock embraced cutting-edge pigment technology of his era, incorporating newly available synthetic colors into his groundbreaking artistic vision. For art historians and conservators, this finding contributes to a more complete understanding of Pollock's palette and techniques, which will be crucial for future preservation and authentication efforts of his works.
