• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2018

Traditional inorganic pigments applied to dancheong, buddhist painting, and wall painting were produced from natural minerals which were later replaced by synthetic pigments, resulting in the loss of the recipe to prepare mineral pigments. This study examined the domestic occurrence and mineralogical characteristics of green and blue mineral pigments required for the conservation of cultural heritage. Cuprous green-blue mineral pigments were found as the weathering products of waste dumps and ores of abandoned Cu-Pb-Zn sulfide mines. Mineralogical analyses using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy identified diverse hydrous copper sulfate pigments of green (brochantite and devilline) and blue color (linarite, bechererite, and schulenbergite) with minor green pigments of antlerite and atacamite commonly associated with cerussite, smithsonite, anglesite, and cuprite. Noerok, a green silicate pigment, replaced the fractured basalt lava. Celadonite was responsible for the green color of Noerok, closely associated with opal in varying ratio. Glauconite, green silicate pigment, was identified in the Yellow Sea sediments. Malachite and azurite, the most important green and blue pigments of Korean cultural heritage, were not identified in this study.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.331-339
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• 2015

This study were conducted the particle-size analysis on 57 blue pigments to understand the step distribution characteristics of blue pigments made out of Azurite by using Malvern's Mastersizer 2000. As the result, most of the conventional blue pigments in Korea, Japan, and Chinese showed good granularity step separation except for few, and the smaller the particle, the more the Span value increased and the wider the granularity distribution range. On the basis of Friedman and Sanders's Grain size, most of the pigments were sand size to silt size. 72.2% of B-100 was clay size and 2.5% of A-14 was gravel size. Even the same components can differ by the grain size directly affecting the important property such as color formation, oil absorption, specific gravity, usability, etc. so the information about the granularity distribution would be used for basic data to deal with natural pigments.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.361-376
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• 2020

Atacamite and Verdigris were studied material scientific properties and durability that are used for traditional green pigment in traditional art painting work and Dancheong. As a result of ingrediant analysis, K-AA and K-VA identified Atacamite and Hoganite (or Verdigris) respectively. In order to find a factor of depressing the stability of pigment, we examined UV radiant exposure test, CO2/NO2 gas corrosion test and salt spray test. Salt spray test damaged both samples which were formed salt particle on the surface of the samples and it makes color disability. Furthermore, the results of gas corrosion test that both pigments change color enough to be perceived by the naked eyes showed that an air pollutant NO2 gas is also considered to be a major damage factor. In the case of K-VA, Hoganite that is main component of sample changes Tenorite with turn black after accelerated UV radiant exposure test. The consequences of the atmospheric environment effect test of the two pigments, K-VA showed relatetively weaker than K-AA.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.118-135
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• 2023

Hanging boards of the Joseon royal court are hung on buildings related to the royal family, such as palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, to show the hierarchy and character of the building. In addition, the manufacturing method and materials are recorded in the royal protocols of the Joseon Dynasty, so it is an important material for studying the manufacturing method and material changes at that time. However, the hanging boards were restored several times due to fire or war, and it is presumed that there is a change in the original form and material of the hanging boards. In particular, many hanging boards of the Joseon royal court were written with calligraphy by kings, so there are many forms consisting of gold letters on a black background. This study tried to analyze the pigments remaining in the letters of 44 of the Joseon royal hanging boards, which are presumed to be gold letters, and to find out the changes in the hanging board production method and materials by referring to the analysis results. The letters of the hanging boards studied were classified according to the current state of the gold pigment and the detected components. As a result of the analysis of character pigments, 24 embossing techniques and 5 intaglio techniques were mainly detected with gold (Au), but 15 embossing techniques were detected with brass (Cu, Zn). Only blue-green substances, not gold pigments, remain in some of the hanging boards in which brass components were detected. A reproduction experiment was conducted because the pigments of the brass component were not recorded in the literature and were not currently used as Dancheong pigments. In the reproduction experiment, it was difficult to confirm the application and use of brass pigments due to the limitations of materials, but it is judged that research on the timing and method of using brass pigments is needed in the future.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.485-495
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the functionality and lightfastness of the natural pigments according to the type of Seokganju used as Dancheong. The commercially available red iron-oxide-based natural pigments that are called Seokganju and Daija manufactured by traditional methods in Korea and Japan were selected. The analysis of the constituent minerals and constituents of 8 kinds of collected Seokganju showed that most of them contained hematite. There are two types of Seokganju according to the $Fe_2O_3$ contents. The type of Seokganju can be characterized not only using the main component but also from the burn-out processing. The chromaticity results for Seokganju with a high $Fe_2O_3$ concentration indicate dark red or grayish brown, while those for Seokganju with a low $Fe_2O_3$ concentration indicate yellowish red or yellowish brown. Samples were prepared by mixing with a glue solution and functional properties were evaluated based on the opacity and spreadability. Coated samples were used in the lightfastness test. The spreadability and opacity of the pigments were measured differently depending on the main component. Most Seokganju samples a showed slight color change until $9,000kJ/m^2$ but rapid color changes were detected after $18,000kJ/m^2$. In particular, burnt Seokganju showed superior lightfastness.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 2018

This study tried to find the clue to Seokrok province by comparing Seokrok used in painting culture properties with Seokrok ore from domestic occurrence and imported Seokrok ore. To this end, chemical and mineralogical characteristics of painting cultural properties were identified with portable X-ray Florescence (p-XRF), micro X-ray diffraction (micro XRD) and SEM/EDS Analysis. To obtain Pb isotopic ratio, the Pb contained in Seokrok has been analyzed with Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer. Atacamite (or botallackite) and small quantity of brochantite were identified from Seokrok in Dancheong, and malachite was also identified from Buddhist painting besides those two ingredients. Without distinction of type, most Seokrok used in painting cultural properties is atacamite composed of Cu and Cl. From Pb isotope analysis, it was found that Seokrok in painting cultural properties was closer to that of north Korea, north China and Japan than south Korea as in regional division for East North Asia suggested by Mabuchi. The Pb isotopic ratio of domestic green mineral belongs to the distribution of Seokrok inside the painting cultural properties but imported malachite showed considerably difference. Considering the fact that atacamite, the main mineral of Seokrok in painting cultural properties is rarely produced from southern mine of the Korean Peninsula and the result of Pb isotope analysis.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.122-147
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• 2012

The Four-guardian statues in Song-gwang buddhist temple, Suncheon, Korea, have been remade in AD 1628 and have been repaired and repainted over several times since then. Therefore, the study of the pigments applied on the statues can provide good chance for investigation about pigments used in the late Chosun Period. Pigments on fragments from Gwang-mok(Virupaksha), one of the Four-guardian statues, have been analyzed by optical microscope, SEM-EDX and XRD in order to identify the components and compounds. Six types of materials were found from the fragments, which are soil layer with brown clay band, soil layer containing a lot of fibers, Korean paper with loose texture, Korean paper with dense texture, silk, and hemp textile. Presumably, the soil layer which have brown clay band is basis layer and the other layers are repaired layers. From comparative study for the components of the pigments, applied on upper and lower parts of the repaired layers, we have concluded that those repaired layers had been applied on the statue by the following order; basis layer ${\rightarrow}$ Korean paper with loose texture ${\rightarrow}$ soil containing a lot of fibers ${\rightarrow}$ silk ${\rightarrow}$ hemp textile and Korean paper with dense texture. In addition, the years that those materials were applied on the statue have been estimated as 1720~1891, 1926, 1946 and 1976, respectively. The distinct features of each age are as the following; lead white and copper chloride hydroxide are major white and green pigments before 1891, zinc white, barium white, emerald green, and ultramarine blue appear after 1926 and titanium white uprises around 1976. Our result presented here, study on pigments applied on traditional statues over several different periods, will provide good database for future study on pigments used for traditional painting in Buddist temples and Dancheong.