Leo Martínez
Paintings of cracks on the ground are a form of art that can be analysed and appreciated for their aesthetic and technical qualities. The formation of cracks, known as craquelure, occurs due to various factors such as drying, ageing, shock, or intentional patterning. These cracks are not considered flaws but are indicative of the painting's age and the techniques employed by the artist. The patterns and characteristics of cracks can provide insights into the historical context, location, and artistic style of a particular painting. Conservation and restoration techniques are employed to treat visible cracks and minimise their impact on the overall appearance and perception of the artwork. The study of craquelure and the techniques used to create or treat cracks contribute to our understanding and appreciation of art.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| General term | Craquelure |
| Cause | Drying, shock, aging, intentional patterning, or a combination of these |
| Paintings commonly affected | Tempera or oil paintings, old ivory carvings, painted miniatures on an ivory backing, and Chinese Ge ware ceramics |
| Craquelure morphology description criteria | 7 |
| Craquelure morphology description criteria example | Crack patterns, which can be related to historic schools of art, specific time periods, locations, and painting styles |
| Factors influencing craquelure | Type of drying oil or paint medium used, presence of paint additives (organic solvents, surfactants, plasticizers) |
| Craquelure formation | Non-uniform shrinkage across the painting surface due to differential adhesion to the sublayer by different paint species |
| Craquelure analysis | A way to authenticate art |
| Craquelure treatment | Applying adhesive to the crack after applying ethanol, using a fine paintbrush to apply warmed isinglass, and removing residual adhesive from the painting's face |
| Craquelure prevention | Following the "fat over lean" rule, which involves applying a layer of paint that is not leaner than the previous one to ensure grip between layers |
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What You'll Learn
- Craquelure: the fine pattern of dense cracking on the surface of materials
- Causes: ageing, drying, shock, or intentional patterning
- Conservation: treating cracks with ethanol, adhesive, and heat
- Art history: crack patterns linked to specific time periods, locations, and painting styles
- Perception: the effect of craquelure on the apparent tonality and depth of a painting
Craquelure: the fine pattern of dense cracking on the surface of materials
Craquelure refers to the fine pattern of dense cracking on the surface of materials. It is often observed in paintings, particularly those created on wood panels or canvas. The formation of craquelure can be attributed to various factors, including drying, ageing, shock, intentional patterning, or a combination of these elements.
The study of craquelure patterns, or crack morphology, provides valuable insights into the methods and materials utilised by artists. By examining the characteristics of the cracks, art historians and conservators can identify distinct styles, time periods, and locations associated with specific schools of art. For instance, Italian paintings from the 14th to 15th centuries tend to exhibit cracks oriented perpendicular to the wood grain, while Flemish paintings on panels from the 15th to 16th centuries display cracks that run parallel to the wood grain.
The cracking patterns in paintings are influenced by the materials and techniques employed in their creation. Paintings are constructed in layers, including the support, primer, ground, paint, and varnish layers. The interaction between these layers, along with environmental factors, contributes to the development of craquelure over time. For example, the failure to follow the ""fat over lean" rule, where an artist applies a leaner layer of paint over a fattier one, can result in drying cracks as the layers slide over each other during the drying process.
Ageing cracks, on the other hand, emerge over an extended period and are influenced by the interaction of all the painting's materials, from the support to the varnish layer, as well as environmental conditions. These cracks tend to be sharper and deeper than drying cracks. Additionally, ageing cracks can be influenced by factors such as direct impacts, temperature gradients, relative humidity, and oxidation reactions.
The presence of craquelure can impact the perception of a painting. The crack pattern can interfere with the tonality and dynamic range of the image, affecting the artist's intended perspective and the viewer's experience. In some cases, conservators may intervene to treat visible cracks that distract from the painting's aesthetic appeal. Various techniques are employed, such as using adhesives, moisture, or heat to minimise the appearance of cracks and restore the artwork's original appearance.
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Causes: ageing, drying, shock, or intentional patterning
The formation of cracks on paintings, known as craquelure, can be attributed to various factors, including ageing, drying, shock, or intentional patterning.
Ageing
Ageing is a critical factor in the development of craquelure. Over time, the interaction between the materials used in a painting, from the support to the varnish layer, as well as environmental conditions, can lead to the formation of ageing cracks. These cracks are sharper and deeper than drying cracks and are challenging to predict and model due to their dependence on specific environmental changes and chemical ageing reactions.
Drying
Drying is another cause of craquelure. When artists do not follow the "fat over lean" rule, the layers of paint do not adhere properly, resulting in sliding and the exposure of the underlayer. This sliding creates non-uniform shrinkage across the painting surface, leading to large tensile stresses and the formation of cracks.
Shock and Intentional Patterning
Craquelure can also be induced by shock or intentional patterning. This can occur through mechanical stresses, such as accidents or the use of specific tools like a heated spatula or hairdryer, during the painting process. Additionally, artificial craquelure techniques have been developed, such as the use of ovens to dry and harden oil paint or special baking processes, to create intentional patterns.
The study of craquelure and its causes provides valuable insights into the methods and materials used by artists, contributing to a deeper understanding and preservation of their work.
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Conservation: treating cracks with ethanol, adhesive, and heat
The treatment of cracks in paintings is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of the underlying causes and the specific materials used in the artwork's creation. The approach to conservation may vary depending on the nature and extent of the cracks, the type of paint and canvas or panel, and the artist's technique.
One method of treating cracks is by using a combination of ethanol, adhesive, and heat. This technique has been employed by Paintings Conservator Elma O'Donoghue in the treatment of visible cracks on Piet Mondrian's "Composition in White, Red and Yellow" (1936). Before applying the adhesive, ethanol is used to help draw it in. The adhesive used in this case is called isinglass, a type of warmed adhesive that is applied with a fine paintbrush. The goal is to ensure the adhesive reaches the edges and inside of the crack, potentially even going through to the reverse of the canvas. Heat and pressure are then applied to the adhesive, causing the edges of the crack to stick together and narrow, reducing its visibility. It is important to remove any residual adhesive from the painting's surface, as isinglass can slightly yellow or become less soluble over time.
The use of heat in treating cracks is not limited to adhesives. Conservators may also employ heated spatulas to set down cracks, although this approach must consider the painting's brush texture to avoid unwanted flattening. As an alternative, a hairdryer can be used to apply heat without direct contact with the paint surface.
Moisture is another factor to consider in crack treatment. While some conservators use moisture to flatten cracks, the vulnerability of paintings to relative humidity and temperature fluctuations in museum environments must be acknowledged. Fracture saturation, which refers to the reduction of vulnerability to environmental variations due to the presence of cracks, is an important concept in this context.
The formation of cracks, or craquelure, can be influenced by various factors, including the specific materials and techniques used, environmental changes, and the ageing process. Understanding these factors is crucial for effective conservation and can provide insights into the historical context and artistic methods of the time.
The treatment of cracks in paintings is a delicate and detailed process that requires expertise in art conservation. The combination of ethanol, adhesive, and heat is one approach that has been successfully utilised, contributing to the preservation of valuable artworks for future generations to appreciate and study.
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Art history: crack patterns linked to specific time periods, locations, and painting styles
The formation of crack patterns, also known as craquelure, in paintings is linked to specific time periods, locations, and painting styles. Craquelure is the term used to describe the fine pattern of dense cracking that forms on the surface of materials, including paintings. The analysis of craquelure can be used to authenticate art and provide information about the methods and materials used by the artist.
Italian paintings from the 14th to 15th centuries (1300-1500) typically exhibit cracks oriented perpendicular to the wood grain, with jagged lines and distinct secondary networks of thin cracks. This is due to the thin ground surface used by Italian painters, which resulted in skinny, thin cracks.
Flemish paintings on panels from the 15th to 16th centuries (1400-1600) often display cracks oriented parallel to the wood grain, with smooth, straight segments and uniform thicknesses. Small, square islands are also observed in these crack patterns.
Dutch paintings on canvas from the 17th century exhibit cracks oriented perpendicular to the major axis of the painting, with jagged lines and square junctions. These cracks tend to follow the weft and warp of the canvas support.
French paintings on canvas from the 18th century (1700s) typically have non-directional cracks with smooth, curved lines in random distributions. This is due to the use of stiffer sublayers, which delocalized tension and removed the connection between crack direction and canvas weave. French painters also used thicker ground surfaces, resulting in swirling cracks.
The presence of craquelure is influenced by various factors, including the materials and techniques used by the artist, the environmental conditions the painting is exposed to, and the passage of time. Craquelure can be induced artificially through techniques such as baking, the use of certain paints and binders, or physical processes like cutting with knives. However, natural craquelure patterns are challenging to reproduce accurately, and genuine craquelure tends to have irregular crack patterns.
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Perception: the effect of craquelure on the apparent tonality and depth of a painting
Craquelure, derived from the French word craquelure and the Italian word crettatura, is a fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of materials. It is most commonly observed in tempera or oil paintings but can also emerge in old ivory carvings or painted miniatures on ivory. Craquelure is the result of drying, shock, ageing, intentional patterning, or a combination of these factors. The cracks vary in appearance depending on the specific environmental changes, chemical ageing reactions, and the methods and materials used by the artist.
The effect of craquelure on the apparent tonality and depth of a painting has been a neglected area of study. Craquelure can interfere with the perception of subtle contrasts in the underlying image, compromising the illusion of pictorial depth. The high contrast between the cracks and the underlying image can disrupt the perspective of envelopment, where warm colours in the foreground transition to cool colours in the back and high contrasts in the foreground transition to low contrasts in the background. This phenomenon can be likened to the effect of a discoloured yellow varnish, which can visually "flatten" paintings.
Research by Spike Bucklow and Varley at the Cambridge University Engineering Department has delved into people's perception of crack patterns. Their studies found that the presence of a crack network significantly impaired the recognition of the underlying figure. Additionally, the crack network was shown to influence the perceived depth of a black-and-white photograph, with the network acting like a discoloured varnish to visually flatten the image.
The crack network also influences the apparent tonality of an image. In an experiment, a crack network covering approximately 10% of the image was printed onto white paper with black ink, resulting in an overall reflectivity of about 82%. However, when shown to subjects, the physical reflection of 82% was perceived as a reflection of only 50%. This effect is more pronounced when the cracks traverse contrasting paint passages, influencing the tonal organisation of the painting and reducing its dynamic range.
The presence of craquelure can be influenced by several factors, including the use of zinc white paints as the underlayer, the type of drying oil or paint medium, and the presence of paint additives such as organic solvents, surfactants, and plasticizers. Craquelure is also impacted by changes in relative humidity during the drying process, especially in paintings with hygroscopic materials like wood supports or gesso ground layers.
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Frequently asked questions
The cracks on paintings are called "craquelure" (French) or "crettatura" (Italian).
Cracks on paintings can be caused by drying, shock, ageing, intentional patterning, or a combination of these factors. They occur due to the complex interaction between the various layers of a painting, such as the support, primer, ground, paint, glazes, and varnish layer.
Treating cracks on paintings involves various techniques, including the use of moisture, heated spatulas, or hairdryers to flatten the cracks. Adhesives, such as warmed isinglass, can also be applied to narrow the cracks and make them less visible. Conservators carefully choose the treatment method to minimise the cracking and enhance the viewing experience.
