Imaging study of Raffaello's "La Muta" by a portable XRF spectrometer

In studies of Cultural Heritage, there is a growing demand for methods of material investigation. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyses have proven to be essential tools in these material studies. The XRF scanning spectrometer, developed at the LABEC laboratory in Florence, can perform both elemental mapping, on areas up to 20×20cm2, and single spot analyses. Thanks to our close and long lasting collaboration with the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, one of the most prestigious restoration centers in the world, we had the opportunity to use the new XRF spectrometer in analyzing the painting "La Muta" of Raffaello Sanzio, one of the "Old Masters" of the Italian Renaissance.Beyond identification of the painting palette, the XRF study further allowed for structural analysis in cases where single spot XRF measurements would not be adequate. For example, the new system allowed us to deduce Raffaello's use of bone black pigment and to analyze various instances of "pentimenti" (underlying image in a painting, evidence of revision by the artist)

Mapping with Macro X-ray Fluorescence Scanning of Raffaello's Portrait of Leo X

Raffaello is renowned as one of the Old Renaissance Masters and his paintings and painting technique are famous for the details and naturality of the characters. Raffaello is famous in particular for the then-new technique of oil painting, which he mastered and perfected. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Raffaello (2020), there was a large exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome, where many paintings and drawings by the Old Master were on show. One of these paintings was the portrait of Leo X with two cardinals belonging to the collection of the Uffizi galleries in Florence. Before going to Rome, the painting underwent conservation treatments at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, where a comprehensive diagnostic campaign was carried out with the aim of understanding the painting materials and technique of the Old Master. In this paper, the results of macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) analysis, carried out exploiting the instrument developed by INFN-CHNet, are shown. Among the results, "bismuth black" and the likely use of glass powders in lakes are discussed

Spectral imaging and archival data in analyzing the Madonna of the Rabbit painting by Manet and Titian

A concise insight into the outputs provided by the latest prototype of visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) multispectral scanner (National Research Council-National Institute of Optics, CNR-INO, Italy) is presented. The analytical data acquired on an oil painting Madonna of the Rabbit by É. Manet are described. In this work, the VIS-NIR was complemented with X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping for the chemical and spatial characterization of several pigments. The spatially registered VIS-NIR data facilitated their processing by spectral correlation mapping (SCM) and artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm respectively for pigment mapping and improved visibility of pentimenti and of underdrawing style. The data provided several key elements for the comparison with a homonymous original work by Titian studied within the ARCHive LABoratory (ARCHLAB) transnational access project

The Role of PIXE and XRF in Heritage Science: The INFN-CHNet LABEC Experience

Analytical techniques play a fundamental role in heritage science. Among them, Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques are widely used in many laboratories for elemental composition analysis. Although they are well-established, a strong effort is put on their upgrade, making them suitable for more and more applications. Over the years, at the INFN-LABEC (the laboratory of nuclear techniques for the environment and cultural heritage of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics), the INFN-CHNet group, the network devoted to cultural heritage, has carried out many technological improvements to the PIXE and XRF set-ups for the analysis of works of art and archaeological finds. Among the many, we recall here the scanning external microbeam facility at the TANDEM accelerator and the MA-XRF scanner. The two instruments have shown complementary features: the former permits quantitative analysis of elements heavier than sodium, which is not possible with the latter in most of the case studies. On the contrary, the scanner has the undeniable advantage of portability, allowing it to work in situ. In this framework of technological developments in heritage science, INFN, CERN, and OPD are jointly carrying on the MACHINA (Movable Accelerator for Cultural Heritage In-situ Non-destructive Analysis) project for on-site Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) studies on cultural heritage