CHAPTER 7: “Art is Not Science”: A Study of Materials and Techniques in Five of Enrico Baj's Nuclear Paintings¹

The philosophical and artistic orientation of Enrico Baj (Italy, 1924–2003) regarding nuclear energy cannot be exclusively reduced to his activism in the Nuclear Art Movement. Baj's interest in science, techniques and technology did not map onto the chronology of this avant-garde movement (1951–1958), but rather was related to the developments in anthropology, philosophy and literature. This studio has as its focus the non-invasive in situ analysis of five of Enrico Baj's paintings which are part of the Archivio Baj collection in Vergiate (Italy): Quamisado II (1951), Bambino magico (1952), Personaggio (1955), Due bambini nella notte nucleare (1956), Spettacolo (1956). Painting materials were investigated thanks to two distinct work sessions of the mobile laboratories of MOLAB-CNR/UNIPG and INFN-CHNet, from October to November 2018. The instruments and know-how of these laboratories were granted to the “Baj Nucleare” project through the access activity to Research Infrastructures offered by E-RIHS.it. This study provided data, which, when cross-checked with previous studies and combined with documents from artistic literature as well as from available secondary sources, have allowed authors to try to better understand Enrico Baj's work process, being able to count on the support of unpublished scientific evidence.