Fossils That Lived 100 Million Years Ago Found in Halosenniemi Oil Paint
Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has studied oil paint samples found at the Halosenniemi Museum, analysing the minerals contained in them. The researchers, professor Alan R. Butcher and doctor Sari Lukkari, reviewed oil paint tubes and pieces of paint, which were analysed at GTK’s laboratory in Espoo.
Through microscopic photography, the researchers were able to identify several interesting components and minerals used in the paints found at Halosenniemi. Artist Pekka Halonen hardly knew that the salmon pink colour he used consisted in part of fossils. The pigment in the paint includes crushed chalkstone, which contains fossils – coccoliths – that lived 100 million years ago.
The joint research project with the Halosenniemi Museum started in September 2021. During the spring and summer of 2022, the research material has been on display at the “Artist life in Halosenniemi” exhibition. Halonen’s colour palette was sent for scanning to Berlin. In addition, Halonen’s paintings Moonlight (1912) and Spring (1924) were scanned at GTK’s facilities during this week. The results of the Micro-XRF scan will be analysed to find out which colours have been used in the paintings and where they come from.
The research project also produced a presentation video discussing what the artist’s paints contain, as well as the used equipment and what they can reveal. The video demonstrates the X-ray tomographic scanner, micro-XRF and scanning electron microscope. The video has been published on the YouTube channel of the Tuusula Museum.
Additional information
Alan R. Butcher
Research Professor, GTK
+358 29 503 2240, alan.butcher@gtk.fi
Sari Lukkari
Senior Scientist, GTK
+358 29 503 2337, sari.lukkari@gtk.fi
Johanna Rinta-aho
Curator, Halosenniemi Museum
040 314 3457, johanna.rinta-aho@tuusula.fi
