Characterization of the Alphabet Reform Painting

Abstract

The Alphabet Reform painting which shows Ataturk teaching the new alphabet is important forthe history of the Republic of Turkey. This painting was made by Nazmi Ziya GÜRAN in 1933. The painting isnow maintained by the Ministry of Interior. In this work, the Alphabet Reform painting was analyzed forcharacterization and restoration purposes. The fabric of the canvas, pigments (organic-inorganic) and thebinder of paint were characterized by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance(ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and highperformance liquid chromatography-coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) analysis methods. TheCIEL*a*b* color parameters of the paint were determined by color measurement spectrophotometer.According to the results, the canvas was found to be of fibers of vegetable origin and the binders weredetermined to be linseed oil and dammar varnish. Red alizarin (madder lake organic pigment) and dark blueultramarine pigments were detected as the organic pigments while CdS (yellow), Pb red (flesh color), PbCO3(white), ZnO (white), BaSO4 (white), FeO (brown) and Cr2O3 (green color) were detected as the inorganicones.