Macro X-ray fluorescence analysis of XVI-XVII century Italian paintings and preliminary test for developing a combined fluorescence apparatus with digital radiography

Abstract

Using portable instruments for the preservation of artworks in heritage science is more and more common. Among the techniques, Macro X-Ray Fluorescence (MA-XRF) and digital radiography (DR) play a key-role in the field, therefore a number of MA-XRF scanners and radiographic apparatuses have been developed for this scope. Recently, the INFN-CHNet group, the network of the INFN devoted to cultural heritage, has developed a MA-XRF scanner for in-situ analyses. The instrument is fully operative, and it has already been employed in museums, conservation centres and out-door fields. In the present paper, the MA-XRF analysis conducted with the instrument on four Italian artworks undertaking conservation treatments at the conservation centre CCR “La Venaria Reale” are presented. Results on the preliminary test to combine DR with MA-XRF in a single apparatus are also shown.