Innovation or replacement?
Investigating Willi Baumeister’s painting materials and technique using art technological research.
Abstract:
This conference paper focuses on the painting "Red Horizon (with Marbling)" (“Roter Horizont (mit Marmorierung)”) from 1946. The case study illustrates the influence of two experiences that shaped Baumeister's technical and artistic means of expression: his apprenticeship as a decorative painter (1905–1907) and his experiments with synthetic and semi-synthetic binding media as an employee of the industrial paint factory Dr. Kurt Herberts & Co. between 1937 and 1945. The study combines evidence from a variety of written and material sources, including his own writings and the technical examination of "Red Horizon (with Marbling)".
In: Work in Progress. The Artists' Gestures and Skills Explored through Art Technological Source Research. Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium of the ICOM-CC Working Group on Art Technological Source Research, held at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, November 24–25, 2022. Online: https://www.icom-cc-publications-online.org/5972/Innovation-or-replacement-Investigating-Willi-Baumeisters-painting-materials-and-technique-using-art-technological-research.
Willi Baumeister, “Red Horizon (with marbling),” 1946. 44.5 x 53 cm. CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0 Willi Baumeister Stiftung Stuttgart © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025
Short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging for organic media classificationand mapping in paintings:
the case of Willi Baumeister
Hyperspectral imaging has become an increasingly valuable non-invasive technique in heritage science, particularly for the documentation and classification of pigments. However, the classification of organic binding media remains less explored.
This study presents a workflow for the mapping of binding media using short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging (1000–2500 nm), supported by a reference spectral library of pure binding media films. To assess the reliability of the hyperspectral imaging system, spectral data were compared with measurements obtained using a benchtop spectrophotometer. A tailored data pre-processing and classification pipeline was developed and applied to two paintings by the German modernist Willi Baumeister. The results demonstrate successful spatial mapping of linseed oil and cellulose nitrate. This research underscores both the capabilities and limitations of short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging as a non-invasive screening method to inform targeted sampling strategies. At the same time, it complements existing knowledge and contributes to a deeper understanding of the artist’s working methods.
In: The European Physical Journal Plus 141, 558 (2026).
“Archival Research at the two German Artists’ Paint Manufacturers Schmincke and LUKAS on Changes in the Formulations of Abetween 1930 and 1955”
MA program Conservation of Paintings and Polychrome Sculptures at ABK Stuttgart
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wibke Neugebauer and Prof. Dr. Christoph Krekel
Abstract:
This master's thesis deals with the composition of the artists’ oil paints used by Willi Baumeister. A special focus is placed on the binder formulations of the oil paints, as components such as cyclohexanone resin and phthalates were found in paint-layer analyses of Baumeister's oil paintings. This raises the question as to whether these substances can be found in the formulations of artists’ oil paints between 1930 and 1955 that Baumeister is known to have used at the time: "Mussini finest artists’ resin oil paint type 1000" (“Mussini feinste Künstler-Harzölfarben Sorte 1000”) from Schmincke and "Finest artists’ oil paint type 00" (“Feinste Künstler-Ölfarben Sorte 00”) from Dr. Fr. Schoenfeld & Co. / LUKAS.
An archival search was conducted at two German artists’ paint manufacturers, Schmincke and LUKAS, to investigate whether their formulations changed during this period, and if so, how. The aim was to find out whether and how the shortage of raw materials during this period affected the product range and formulations of the artists’ paint manufacturers.
Saskia Link conducted research for her master's thesis in the RED / LUKAS archive at the Conservation Center (RED) in Düsseldorf. Photo: Elia Schmid
“Hyperspectral Imaging for Separation and Identification of Binding Media on Paintings. Generating Representative Reference Spectra and Conducting Systematic Experiments on Versatile Mockups to Evaluate the Feasibility and Limitations of Utilizing Hyperspectral Imaging for Examining Binding Media on Paintings with a Focus on the Material Palette of Willi Baumeister”
MA program Conservation of Paintings and Polychrome Sculptures at ABK Stuttgart
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wibke Neugebauer and Prof. Dr. Christoph Krekel
External supervisors: Dr. Clarimma Sessa, Dr. Eva Mariasole Angelin, M.A. Simon Mindermann
Abstract:
Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is increasingly being used by conservation scientists for the non-invasive examination of art historical objects. While the identification of pigments using HSI in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) wavelength range has already been extensively researched, the identification of binding media using HSI in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range poses a complex challenge that requires further research. As a result, this master's thesis systematically investigated the ability of HSI in the SWIR wavelength range to distinguish and identify binding media in paintings, highlighting the possibilities and potential limitations. The binding media examined in this thesis were chosen to reflect Willi Baumeister's range of materials.
The theoretical part of this master's thesis places the research question in the context of the current state of research and provides an overview of peer-reviewed publications published between 2009 and 2020 that deal with this research topic. Furthermore, an overview of the fundamentals of SWIR HSI technology is provided. In order to evaluate the possibilities and potential limitations of HSI for identifying binding media in paintings as part of the practical part of this master's thesis, a spectral database of 11 binding media used by Baumeister was created and versatile mockups with several variables were created, measured, and evaluated. For this purpose, the insiTUMlab SWIR hyperspectral cube was imaged in the wavelength range of 1000–2500 nm using the HySpex SWIR-384 hyperspectral camera, and the resulting data were manually evaluated using ENVI image processing and analysis software.
The database created in this way made possible the systematic evaluation of the subsequent mockup series with the integrated variables. It was possible to determine clear spectral characteristics for all of the binding media investigated. Nevertheless, limitations in the use of HSI for this application became apparent, particularly with regard to certain material combinations where the separation and identification of the binding media proved difficult or impossible.
Based on the manifold results from the numerous test series, it was possible to define specific rules for the limitations encountered. The results have confirmed findings from previous research on the topic and deepened understanding in this area, particularly with regard to specific limitations and influencing factors. The reference database created and the findings generated in this master's thesis are a valuable contribution to future research on the identification of binding media using his, and to the evaluation of spectra to be obtained from the examination of future mockups or original paintings.
Numerous test panels (mockups) were produced, measured with the help of HSI cameras, and evaluated so that the results could later be applied to Baumeister's original works. Photo: Katja Lorenz
“The Investigation of Hardboard as a Pin Early 20th Century Painting, Based on the Estate of Willi Baumeister in the Period between 1935 and 1955”
MA program Conservation of Paintings and Polychrome Sculptures at ABK Stuttgart
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Anna von Reden and Prof. Dr. Andrea Funck
Abstract:
This MA thesis deals with the material called "hardboard" (“harte Holzfaserplatte”) and with its use as a painting support in the mid-20th century. The focus is on developing a sound understanding of the material in order to enable the identification of the material and to close key research gaps regarding its historical use.
To achieve this aim, questions about the manufacture, composition, and aging of the fiber material are being answered. The theoretical part of the thesis contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of wood-fiber materials through an examination of the literature and through source research. In the practical section, the material knowledge gained from the theory is applied to a selection of 70 paintings by Willi Baumeister (from 1935 to 1955) from the archive of the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, and the suitability of hardboard as a painting support will be evaluated. Selected samples of the hardboard used by Baumeister are examined in more detail using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and pH measurements. The results of this work point to the need for future research on hardboard used as a painting support.