An effective medium approach was used to quantify the sensitivity of individual fluorescent nanocrystals to changes in their dielectric environment.

Fleury Richard was a colorist painter of the early 19th century. He practiced the oil technique inspired by the Renaissance at a time when advances in chemistry were introducing many new synthetic pigments. His color-mixing cabinet has been kept intact at the Musée des Beaux Arts de Lyon. This original study is based on the analysis of more than 40 color powders using different spectroscopic techniques (X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy), color index estimation, and the comparison of the results obtained from three pictural works painted by the artist. It allows us (i) to identify and reference the pigmented powders and pictural choices in connection with historical manuscripts describing the artist’s practice, and (ii) to identify the most judicious analysis methods and question the difficulty of analyzing paintings in a non-destructive way, where pigments are put into a matrix and mixed.

An art/science collaboration has enabled a contemporary artist to re-discover an age-old technique used by glaze-masters such as Leonardo da Vinci. The process uses dark bitumen, white mineral (...)

Structural coloration by Rayleigh scattering is widespread in nature and holds a prominent place in various art objects over a broad period of time, from ancient Chinese porcelains to Renaissance paintings. Beyond the common statement that Rayleigh scattering is the primary mechanism behind the multiple colored appearances of the sky, it appears that the relationship between material parameters and the colors that appear in different observation conditions has not been thoroughly explored so far. The present study aims to offer a general overview of the structural colors accessible by Rayleigh scattering as a function of the material parameters, alongside a scalable and environment-friendly process to realize solid composite materials with targeted structural colors in reflection and transmission. Monte Carlo light transport simulations are performed to compute the structural color palette of disordered colloids -- dielectric particles in a nonscattering matrix -- in different observation modes. In particular, we provide a range of physical parameters in which the materials exhibit the same blue color in diffuse reflection and transmission. We also show that, as may be counterintuitive at first, the addition of black absorbents to the matrix of a white (opaque) material can lead to the emergence of a blue coloration in diffuse reflection, thanks to the interplay between multiple light scattering and light absorption. These predictions are validated by optical experiments on colloidal suspensions of Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (ZrO$_2$:Y$_2$O$_3$) nanoparticles in aqueous solutions. The potential of Rayleigh-scattering materials for visual arts and design is further supported by realizing solid-state composites based on abundant materials, namely borosilicate clays and hybrid silica-based glasses, using soft chemistry at room temperature.