title: The use of synchrotron radiation for the characterization of artists' pigments and paintings.
abstract: We review methods and recent studies in which macroscopic to (sub)microscopic X-ray beams were used for nondestructive analysis and characterization of pigments, paint microsamples, and/or entire paintings. We discuss the use of portable laboratory- and synchrotron-based instrumentation and describe several variants of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis used for elemental analysis and imaging and combined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Macroscopic and microscopic (μ-)XRF variants of this method are suitable for visualizing the elemental distribution of key elements in paint multilayers. Technical innovations such as multielement, large-area XRF detectors have enabled such developments. The use of methods limited to elemental analysis or imaging usually is not sufficient to elucidate the chemical transformations that take place during natural pigment alteration processes. However, synchrotron-based combinations of μ-XRF, μ-XAS, and μ-XRD are suitable for such studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alfeld
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van der Snickt
authors.forename: Wout
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Nolf
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vanmeert
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radepont
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monico
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dik
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cotte
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falkenberg
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miliani
authors.forename: Brunetto G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Brunetti