Speaker
Description
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis is a non-destructive technique widely employed in the examination of cultural heritage artifacts. Its capacity to rapidly identify the elemental composition of materials without causing damage makes it an essential tool for analyzing paintings, frescos, manuscripts, pottery, metalwork, glass, and various other artifacts. The advent of portable XRF devices has further enhanced on-site analyses in museums and archaeological sites, offering rapid, in situ assessments. Moreover, integrating the XRF devices with a scanning system (namely Macro-XRF) enables the analysis of extensive areas, allowing the detection of inhomogeneities that are challenging to identify with single-point measurements.
Meanwhile, XRF can identify the elemental composition of pigments, it proves extremely valuable for authenticating painting. Many pigments are attributed to specific historical periods or artists, and their presence (or absence) can provide critical evidence about the age and creative process of a painting. For instance, the detection of modern synthetic pigments in a work claimed to be from the Renaissance period would raise significant doubts about its authenticity. Conversely, the presence of historically appropriate materials, such as lead-tin yellow or natural ultramarine, can support the attribution to a specific time frame or school.
Moreover, since artists often reused canvases, XRF analysis proves highly valuable for revealing underlying paintings. This analysis can detect hidden layers of pigment and materials beneath the visible surface, offering insights into earlier compositions that have been painted over. By uncovering these hidden layers, researchers can reconstruct the evolution of a painting and gain a deeper appreciation of the artist’s methods, intentions, and material choices throughout different stages of their work.
The presentation focuses on some preliminary studies conducted at the Dafne-Light Laboratory (INFN-LNF), involving the analysis of both modern and ancient paintings within the framework of the INFN-CHNet.
