Scientists have finally solved a long-standing mystery surrounding the blue pigment used by renowned American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock in his famous 1948 action painting "Number 1A." Researchers at the Museum of Modern Art in New York discovered that the blue paint contains a toxic pigment made with the element barium, ending decades of speculation about the composition of this particular color in one of Pollock's earliest drip paintings.
Jackson Pollock revolutionized the art world by dripping paint onto canvas to create abstract compositions, and "Number 1A" from 1948 stands as one of the earliest examples of his groundbreaking action painting technique. Art historians and conservators have been eager to understand exactly which materials the artist used in his work, but they could not simply ask Pollock himself, as he died in 1956 at the age of 44.
While scientists at the Museum of Modern Art had previously identified the composition of other colors in the painting, the blue pigment remained an enigma for years. Researchers successfully determined that the yellow and red paints in "Number 1A" consisted of cadmium-based pigments: cadmium red (chemically known as cadmium selenide sulfide) and cadmium yellow (cadmium zinc sulfide). However, the blue coloration continued to puzzle experts despite extensive analysis.
The breakthrough came when advanced scientific techniques revealed that Pollock's mysterious blue paint contained a barium-based pigment, which is known to be toxic. This discovery not only satisfies the curiosity of art historians and conservators but also provides valuable information for future preservation efforts of Pollock's works. Understanding the exact chemical composition of the paints is crucial for proper conservation, as different pigments age and react differently over time.
The identification of this barium-containing blue pigment adds another piece to the puzzle of understanding Pollock's artistic materials and methods. This research represents part of ongoing scientific efforts to analyze and preserve important works of art using modern analytical techniques, ensuring that future generations can continue to appreciate these masterpieces while understanding the technical aspects of their creation.
