Drawing Sheet 4-E

Support

Dimensions:

22.2 x 17.3 cm

Cut edge:

Left edge

Paper type:

Cream wove paper, discolored to tan

Pinholes:

Unclear, possibly top center

    Additional notes:

Sewing holes:

—

Edges overlapping adj. sheet:

Bottom edge

Edges extending below adj. sheet:

Left, and right edges

Edges abutting adj. sheet:

Top (possibly very slightly overlapped 3E, paper edge fragments on verso)

Media

Graphite:

Extensive throughout in the initial drawing, to define the overall composition

Colored pencil:

Black pencil is added over graphite to strengthen areas on the otherwise black/grey palette; the line is visibly denser or blacker in appearance than the graphite

Yellow pencil in crown and robe/vale in the center figure (Queen of Sheba) and in the circular elements (??) below her.

Traces of red pencil are visible in a couple of figures/faces at the right side

Traces of blue pencil are visible in the circular elements (??) below the center figure and at the lower right edge and upper left edge

Charcoal:

Charcoal may have been used to shade areas around the perimeter and in the center figure’s robe; these areas appear smudged

Watercolor:

Red watercolor at lower right side—use is unclear

Scratching:

Possibly to create highlights in the lips and eyes of the center figure

Additional media notes:

Black chalk may have been used as well to create a few lines outlining some figures; these lines appear slightly more ‘powdery’ than the black pencil lines

There are a few small incised lines in figure’s face at center right side

Composition

Drawing to sheet edges:

All edges

Drawing into adjacent sheet:

Black pencil lines extend into 5E when edges are abutted, graphite does not extend below; vertical composition appears to extend below

Though the composition continues into 3E, the media generally differs from one sheet to the other, most notably in the center graphite lines that extend above into 3E in black pencil; the graphite faces in the URC and decorative element in the ULC continue across sheets in like media

Figure groupings along right side extend in like media uninterrupted into 4F; this area may have been conceived at once

Compositional changes/additions:

The two incense burners (?) at the bottom appear to have been added over pre-existing drawing

Artist’s patches:

—

Former restoration:

—

Drawing on verso:

—

Additional observations:

Analysis

Technique

Area/location

Results/observations

Photo microscopy:

Lower area

Additions of black pencil over graphite

Ultra-violet radiation:

Infrared radiation:

Overall

Improve legibility of faintly drawn lines

Raman Spectroscopy:

X-Ray diffraction: