The Early Use of Prussian Blue in Paintings - NDT.net

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"La mariée de village" and the "Embarkation to Cythera" represent earlier works by Watteau. Both paintings are conventionally dated to around 1710. This proves that Watteau already used Prussian blue in his earlier works. Assuming that the stylistic dating of the paintings is correct, this means that Prussian blue must have found its way from Berlin to Paris in around 1710. As mentioned above, Frisch sent a large amount of Prussian blue to Paris around 1714. However, he may have sent some smaller quantities long before this date. Düsseldorf / Rotterdam: Van der Werff Brothers Apart from Frisch, Dippel, who went to Holland in 1707 [Ackermann], or Dutch members of the Prussian academy such as van Royen might have had the opportunity to introduce the pigment to painters in Holland. It is interesting in this context to follow the path of the van der Werff brothers Adrian and Pieter. They worked in Düsseldorf and Rotterdam. The painting "Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph" (Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin) is the always mentioned in literature as proof of Adrian van der Werff`s use of Prussian blue. Recent studies, however, have revealed that this painting was not finished by van der Werff himself, but by Henrik van Limborch in 1728 [Gaehtgens; Jansen]. Therefore, Limborch might have been the one who used Prussian blue at a time when it was already very common. Sixteen paintings by Adrian van der Werff dating from 1705 to 1714 (collection of Bayrische Staatsgemäldesammlung, Munich, and SPSG) were analysed in cooperation with the Doerner Institute, Munich, Germany. No Prussian blue could be identified in these paintings. Therefore, it appears that Adrian van der Werff was likely not among the first artists to use the pigment. However, Prussian blue could be identified in the painting "Entombment of Christ" (Picture Gallery, Potsdam, see figure 3) by Pieter van der Werff. The painting is signed “P van der Werff”, and is dated 1709. Prussian blue is used in the sky, and in Mary’s veil. This painting represents the earliest known proof to date of the use of this pigment in a painting. Figure 3: Pieter van der Werff, " Entombment of Christ " (Picture Gallery, Sanssouci, Inv. No. GK I 10008) 6
Berlin / Potsdam: The Prussian Court Painters The court painters were closely connected to the Royal Academy of Arts in Berlin, where Prussian blue was available not later than 1709. This academy was located in the same building as the Academy of Sciences, where the pigment was known not later than 1708 [Frisch]. It therefore seems likely that the court painters could have been involved in the first use and spreading of this pigment. Prussian blue was identified in twelve paintings (Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam; Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin) by Antoine Pesne (1683-1757) that date between 1710 and 1715 [Bartoll et al.]. Among these are the portraits of Théodore Giou de Briou (Inv. No. GK I 881) and Philip William of Brandenburg-Schwedt (Inv. No. GK I 7346) from about 1710 [Börsch-Supan 1986]. Pesne was born in Paris, educated in France and Italy, came to Berlin in 1710, and took the position of court painter of Frederick I of Prussia. Prussian blue was also detected in the portraits of Frederick I of Prussia (Inv. No. GK I 50478, New Palace, Potsdam, dated 1713) by Samuel Theodor Gericke (1665-1730) and of Freifrau von Blaspiel (Inv. No. GK I 3295, Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, c 1710-12 [Baumbach and Bischoff]) by Adam Manyóki (1673-1757), in the "Paradise bird" (Inv. No. GK I 30225, Grunewald Hunting Lodge, Berlin, dated 1711) by Wilhelm Frederik van Royen (1645-1723), and in at least four paintings by Friedrich Wilhelm Weidemann (1668-1750). This means that Prussian blue was used by painters at the Prussian court in important paintings shortly after its invention. CONCLUSIONS Prussian blue was probably synthesised for the first time by Johann Jacob Diesbach in Berlin around the year 1706. Shortly after, not later than 1708, Johann Leonhard Frisch began to promote and sell the pigment across Europe. The pigment was first named "Preussisch Blau", and later, in November 1709, the name was changed to "Berlinisch Blau". The pigment was accepted by artists much earlier than previously assumed, as can be proven on the basis of a number of examples. To date, the painting "Entombment of Christ" (Picture Gallery, Sanssouci, Potsdam, dated 1709) by Pieter van der Werff is the oldest known painting that makes use of Prussian blue. Around 1710, painters at the Prussian court such as Pesne, Gericke, Manyóki, and Weidemann were already using the pigment to a surprisingly large extent. At around the same time, Prussian blue arrived in Paris, where Watteau and later his successors Lancret and Pater used it in their paintings. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The following colleagues have helped with fruitful co-operation, productive discussions and technical support: Ch. M. Vogtherr, B. Jackisch, M. Most, E. Wenders de Calisse, G. Bartoschek (SPSG); H. Stege, V. Poll-Frommel, J. Schmidt, U. Baumer, J. Koller (Doerner Institute, Munich); C. Laurenze, Ch. Schmidt, U. Stehr (Gemäldegalerie, Berlin); S. Knobloch, J. Sander (Städel Museum, Frankfurt); B. Schröder-Smeibidl, L. A. Mertens (HMI, Berlin); A. Unger, R. Pausewein (Rathgen Forschungslabor, Berlin); M. Eveno, M. C. Sahut, N. Volle, E. Martin (Louvre, Paris); M. T. Holmes (New York); J. Nissen, K. Müller (TU Berlin). We would like to thank the Getty Foundation, Los Angeles, for generous financial support. 7
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The Early Use of Prussian Blue in Paintings - NDT.net

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