Micro-Raman Spectroscopy for the Identification of Drawing Materials Used Throughout the 17th and 20th Centuries

The study explores drawing materials from the 17th century to the present using noninvasive techniques like Raman spectroscopy in selected cases supplemented by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. This publication is an effort to expand knowledge across diverse periods and materials. A collection of six drawings spanning from 1700 to 1899 from the National Museum in Krakow and a 20th-century birch bark artifact were analyzed. Noninvasive techniques facilitated the systematic analysis of drawing materials, providing insights into diverse substances over centuries. Identified materials include hematite, calcite, graphite, bister, sepia, iron gall ink, and crystal violet dye. Understanding the chemical composition aids conservation and is a reference for future art history and preservation studies.