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In the world of art and antiques, the cost of a mistake can be colossal. Traditional expertise, based on stylistic analysis and the study of provenance (history of ownership), is undoubtedly important. However, even the most experienced eye of an art historian can be deceived by a skillful forgery.
In the world of art and antiques, the cost of a mistake can be colossal. Traditional expertise, based on stylistic analysis and the study of provenance (history of ownership), is undoubtedly important. However, even the most experienced eye of an art historian can be deceived by a skillful forgery.
It is in disputed situations, when working with particularly valuable objects, or when doubts about authenticity arise, that laboratory research comes to the rescue. It provides objective, scientifically-backed data that cannot be forged. Without it, the authentication of high-level works of art is practically unthinkable today.
Radiography is one of the classic methods that allows one to literally look under the top layer of paint without damaging the artwork. X-rays are absorbed differently by materials depending on their density. Paints based on heavy metals, such as lead white, appear lighter in the image, which makes it possible to see hidden details.
This method is indispensable for revealing a whole range of hidden features. It helps art historians to better understand the artist's creative intent and to identify later interventions.
| Method | Main Task | What it Detects |
| Radiography | Analysis of material density | Hidden layers of painting, support structure, restorations |
| IR Reflectography | Detection of carbon-based materials | Underdrawing, signatures, author's corrections |
While X-rays show the density of materials, infrared (IR) reflectography specializes in detecting the underdrawing made with carbon-containing materials, such as charcoal or graphite. Infrared rays penetrate through most paint pigments but are absorbed by carbon, making the sketch visible with special equipment.
The analysis of this drawing provides invaluable information about the artist's working manner and can become a key argument in establishing authorship. By comparing the character of the lines and hatching with the master's reference works, experts draw conclusions about authenticity. This method is non-destructive and completely safe for the artwork.
| Pigment | Time of Appearance | Indication of What? |
| Titanium White | After the 1920s | Its discovery in a 19th-century painting indicates a forgery |
| Cobalt Blue | Early 19th century | Cannot be present in the works of Old Masters |
| Prussian Blue | Early 18th century | Its absence in works from the 18th-19th centuries can raise questions |
Each era in the history of painting had its own palette, limited by the pigments available at the time. A chemical analysis of a microscopic paint sample makes it possible to accurately determine its composition and, consequently, to draw a conclusion about the time the painting was created. The discovery of a pigment invented much later than the supposed date of the canvas's creation is a sure sign of a forgery or a later restoration.
Modern methods are used for analysis, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, which allows for the determination of the elemental composition without taking a sample, or mass spectrometry for a more detailed study of organic binders. This data creates a kind of "chemical passport" for the artwork.
When it comes to determining the age of organic materials, radiocarbon analysis comes to the rescue. This method is based on measuring the decay rate of the radioactive isotope carbon-14, which accumulates in living organisms. After the organism dies (for example, when a tree is cut down or cotton is harvested), carbon-14 begins to decay at a known rate.
It is important to remember that the method determines the time of the organism's death, not the creation of the artwork itself. For example, an artist could have used a board from a tree that was cut down a hundred years before the painting was made. Nevertheless, radiocarbon dating is a powerful tool for ruling out obvious forgeries made from modern materials.
