Arthur Boyd’s painting materials in the 1940s: a case study of works from the Heide Museum of Modern Art Collection

Abstract

Recent conservation treatment of Arthur Boyd’s paintings from the Heide Museum of Modern Art collection has raised questions about his studio practice and material preferences. Four paintings on muslin board from Boyd’s 1943–44 ‘South Melbourne’ series appear to use unconventional materials, which may highlight the practical realities of wartime shortages of artist paints and the alternative use of proprietary materials. The conservation treatments of Boyd’s paintings initiated scientific investigations using Fourier Transform Infrared and Scanning Electron Microscopy, which is assessed in the context of Boyd’s archival documents and personal correspondence. This paper presents new findings ..