"Moreover, these drawings were reproduced more faithfully, according to a new process, while his first illustrations for LA VIE MODERNE had had to be done on a special, grained paper, on which white was obtained by scrapiing, an awkward technique called guillotage." John Rewald RENOIR DRAWINGS, 1946.
Paper Authentication Report by
Dr. Henk Porck and Mr. Adriaan Kardinaal
The first aim of this study is to determine the type of paper used for a pastel ascribed to Pierre Auguste Renoir and to establish the production date of this paper as accurately as possible. Second aim is to answer the question whether or not a photographic print is present under the pastel. This question is related to that of the nature of the paper coating, since the presence of a photographic image would influence the chemical composition of the coating. The final aim is to find out whether the paper of the investigated pastel is in any way related to papers of authenticated drawings by Renoir or other impressionists.
(View full 19 page report here) (Statement on Pastel research)
Introduction
General description of the pastel
Provenance
The pastel
Renoirs studies for the Great Bathers of 1887
Description of the paper
Physical description
Chemical description of the fibre layer
Chemical description of the coating
The layer structure of the pastel
Determination of the type of paper
The make up of the pastel paper
The Production date of the paper
Arguments based on the chemical composition
Arguments based on the design
The origin of the paper
Renoir and transfer paper
The first period: 1879-1884
The second period: the 1890s and early twentieth century
Other graphic printing papers used by Renoir
The impressionists and transfer paper
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Appendix I: Technical dat
Appendix II: Renoirs treatment of paper
Appendix III: Sources on transfer paper and paper making
Appendix IV: Research reports by Wagner, Corrigan and McCrone
