Review of several optical non-destructive analyses of an easel painting. Complementarity and crosschecking of the results

Abstract

Abstract Five optical analyses of a given work of art are presented, using multispectral imaging, optical coherence tomography, goniophometry, UV-fluorescence emission spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. All these methods are non-destructive, contactless, and implementable in situ. They all lead to results in quasi-real time. The multispectral camera allows imaging of the whole painting with very high definition and recording of 240 millions of spectra. Optical coherence tomography allows local 2D and 3D imaging with in-face and in depth stratigraphies inside the painting with a micrometric accuracy. It allows the evaluation of the pigment volume concentration inside a layer, the measurement of the thickness of one or two varnish layers, the detection and measurements of gaps inside the paint layer, the depth of varnish micro-cracks. Goniophotometry allows the measurement of the upper surface state of the painting in different locations, by quantifying the mean slope of the facets making up the surface. UV-fluorescence emission spectroscopy allows the identification of the resin, the binder and the ageing state of varnishes by use of databases of reference varnishes. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy leads to pigment, pigment mixture and dye identifications again by use of databases. The three last methods are implemented with the same portable multi-function instrument. It allows time saving, locations on request in front of the artwork and easy use by non-scientists. Each instrument is described with its protocol and accuracy. The studied painting is a portrait of a lady painted by the Austrian artist Franz Strotszberg, chosen for its several restorations. The five kinds of results are successively detailed, analysed and compared between themselves. It is shown that the different results are complementary and their crosschecking brings thorough information. For example, the shape of the network of varnish micro-cracks detected on the surface with the multispectral camera is added to the measurement of their depth with optical coherence tomography. Another example allows connecting two different surface states of the upper varnished surface measured by goniophotometry with the identification of these varnish with UV-fluorescence and with their thicknesses measured with optical coherence tomography.