Photophysics of artist's pigments

Among analytical techniques, photophysics represents a non-invasive method suitable for the study of artefacts in the cultural heritage field. Thanks to this technique, many useful data can be collected on the pigments in order to get information on their identification and aging status. This represents a powerful tool for restores and scholars with the aim of preservation and fruition of artefacts. Here, we report the optical properties of (i) Cuprorivaite (Egyptian Blue) exhibiting an exceptionally high emission quantum efficiency in the near-infrared region (λmax = 910 nm, PLQY = 10.5%) that makes it also appealing for several technological applications; (ii) Manganese blue, a synthetic barium manganate(VI) sulphate compound, used both as a blue pigment in works of art and by conservators in the restoration of paintings and (iii) Indian yellow, a historic pigment produced in India that is characterised by its luminous yellow-orange colour and noticeable photoluminescence properties. The choice of the above-mentioned pigments has been mainly driven by the availability of real case studies in different worldwide regions.