Guercino: beyond color

The X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) technique is employed to detect the chemical elements that make up materials by exploiting the interaction between X-rays and the atoms in compounds. In the field of cultural heritage, particularly in the case of polychrome painted surfaces such as paintings on canvas, panel and murals, it is widely used, due to its versatility and non-invasiveness (it does not compromise in any way the integrity of the work under investigation), to identify the chemical elements characteristic of the mineral pigments used by the artist.