Micro-spectroscopic Raman investigation on the canvas oil painting 'Rebecca at the well' of Neapolitan anonymous

In this work, a micro‐Raman spectroscopic investigation was carried out in order to identify the pigments used in the canvas oil painting ‘Rebecca at the well’, which is preserved in MAON museum in Rende, southern Italy. The artwork's history is unknown, and no scientific investigation was performed on it before. Art historians believe that the painting was created in the XVIII century by an artist of the Neapolitan school. Raman spectra were collected by a Jobin Yvon micro‐Raman LABRAM apparatus, with a He–Ne laser (632.8 nm) as excitation source. The main original pigments were identified and modern pigments like yellow–orange chrome and phthalocyanine were also found, providing important information about the restoration works and the painting's history. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Modern pigments have been used for restoration work in old paintings, sometime without any written documentation about. In this case, the characteristic spectra of copper phthalocianine have been found in a micro‐Raman study on the oil painting ‘Rebecca at the well’, preserved in MAON museum of Rende, (Cosenza), Italy. Art historians believe that the painting was created in the XVIII century by an artist of the Neapolitan school. The main pigments were identified, and important information were found about the restoration works and the painting's history.