Abstract
Three bronze vessels from the ancient Chinese art collection at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) were examined—with the advanced non-invasive characterization capabilities of high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction performed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)—to create a comprehensive overview of each object’s manufacture as well as subsequent corrosion processes. Findings were also complemented with traditional non-invasive characterization techniques, including optical imaging, X-ray radiographic imaging, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. The results—obtained without sampling—allow a clear distinction between genuinely ancient Chinese bronzes from those with modern restorations and from “archaistic” objects made many centuries later, in emulation of ancient styles.
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