Aerinite is a rare blue aluminosilicate mineral whose identification as a pigment in Pyrenean medieval artworks typically requires invasive microsampling. This study evaluates portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) as a noninvasive screening tool for aerinite in Alto Aragón (Spain) cultural heritage. Elemental compositions of aerinite and lapis lazuli references, ceramics, polychromed capitals, and thirteenth- to fifteenth-century painted panels were measured with a Niton XL3t GOLDD+ spectrometer. Data were analyzed using log-ratio linear discriminant analysis (LDA), with silicon as an internal normalizer. Aerinite references showed Cu and Co levels below instrumental detection limits, along with Fe (6.99 ± 1.04 wt%), Al (4.91 ± 1.38 wt%), and Si (15.95 ± 1.60 wt%). High-confidence aerinite classifications were obtained for Cu-free and Co-free blue pigments in the Barbastro Chrismon, the Buira altar frontal, and other panels. Extension of the protocol to green pigments revealed that two samples—from the Saint Anthony Abbot panel and Portaspana retable—were also classified as aerinite, providing the analytical evidence for “verde de Juseu” as a naturally occurring greenish aerinite variety. Despite known pXRF limitations, this technique effectively screens candidate aerinite-containing passages for subsequent microanalytical confirmation.

Analysis of furniture types in Dutch homes from the Baroque period on the basis of iconographic materials is a paper presenting an iconological interpretation of easel paintings, focusing on the topic of furniture. The paper presents the characteristics of early Baroque interiors that were depicted in the paintings of 17th-century Dutch painters between 1650-1700, with an analysis of the furniture use and placement within the rooms based on iconographic materials, as well as description of the style and structure of several different types of Dutch furniture from that period. For this purpose, a search of Internet sources was carried out to find oil panel paintings presenting genre scenes taking place in residential interiors. The ones selected for further analysis needed to have clearly visible furniture painted with precision (to a degree that permitted to specify the type of construction, stylistic features and ornaments). The results of this research became a basis for discussion with reference literature on the subject.

This article highlightshow advanced chemical analysis led to groundbreakingdiscoveries in Christ Blessing (1505–1506),a painting attributed to Raphael and housed in the Pinacoteca TosioMartinengo, Brescia, Italy. Through a comprehensive, noninvasive scientificinvestigation conducted in situ at the museum, our team identifieda distinctive freehand underdrawing executed in a dry medium witha pointed tool and a rare early use of Egyptian blue in Renaissanceart. Crucially, the presence of this ancient synthetic pigmentlongthought to have vanished after antiquitywas chemically confirmedin the background of the composition, where it was used alongsideazurite and ultramarine blue. This marks the only documented instanceof Egyptian blue in a panel painting by Raphael and its only knownapplication in a sacred subject within his oeuvre. These findingswere made possible by a suite of imaging and spot-based spectroscopictechniques, including multiband and hyperspectral imaging, reflectancetransformation imaging, fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy, andboth spot and scanning X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The integrationof these methods not only offered new insights into Raphael’sworking practice but also demonstrated the transformative potentialof chemical analysis in art historical research, enhancing our abilityto study and understand complex, multilayered artworks.

Rubber components filled with carbon black are widely used in vehicles for sealing, preventing water ingress, and reducing vibration and aerodynamic noise. However, carbon particles increase the electrical conductivity of rubber. When a carbon-filled rubber part comes into contact with the metal car body, it may act as a cathode, accelerating metal corrosion via galvanic coupling. This study combined volume resistivity and zero-resistance ammeter (ZRA) measurements, resistometric corrosion monitoring, and accelerated corrosion testing to assess the effect of rubber conductivity on the corrosion degradation of painted car body panels in defects. More conductive rubber induced a higher galvanic current and accelerated paint delamination from defects. Real-time monitoring confirmed an earlier onset of corrosion and higher corrosion rates for steel coupled with conductive rubber. These findings emphasize the importance of using low-conductive rubber with resistivity from 104 Ω·m to minimize the risk of galvanic corrosion of the car body.

Santali art and Idital art—two visually compelling tribal traditions of eastern India—embody a unique synthesis of geometry, spirituality, and cultural memory. While emerging from different ethnic groups, both art forms employ symbolic structures that translate cosmology, ritual practice, and community identity into visual communication. This paper examines how these traditions use geometric organisation not merely as aesthetic design, but as a structural grammar that encodes mythological narratives, ancestral relationships, and ritual functions. Santali art, characterised by rhythmic line work, stylised human forms, and painted wall panels, reflects the community’s social activities, musical culture, and agricultural cycles. Idital art of the Saora tribe, on the other hand, operates as a ritual pictographic language created by religious specialists, in which linear motifs, spirit figures, terraced compositions, and diagrammatic arrangements serve as mediators between the human and supernatural realms.

Fotis Kontoglou (1895–1965) was a prominent Greek painter and writer, known primarily for revitalizing byzantine painting in the 20th century and being one of the first artist-conservators in Greece active at this period. The current study represents the first systematic attempt to examine seven (7) icons (i.e., ecclesiastical panel paintings) attributed to Kontoglou, currently located in two famous monasteries in Laconia, Greece. The research utilized exclusively non-destructive analytical techniques, namely digital optical microscopy, UV-induced visible fluorescence photography (UVIVF), and portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) spectroscopy, to identify the materials—particularly pigments—employed in the corresponding paintings. The results are interpreted under the light of Kontoglou’s own writings on painting, in particular his “Ekphrasis” painting manual. Preliminary assessments of surface morphology and state of preservation were achieved through macroscopic and microscopic probing, as well as through inspection under ultraviolet light, while further analysis was performed using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The results confirm the employment of both traditional and modern synthetic inorganic components, while comparisons with the pigments listed in Kontoglou’s “Ekphrasis” painting manual suggest his persistent use of a rather limited palette of pigments. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the paintings were executed in a small period of time (1954–1956), data revealed notable differentiation between the studied icons, which probably indicates procurement of materials from various sources. Given the scarcity of technical investigations of modern (20th century) paintings, this study is relevant and reveals some interesting hints, which may pertain to the trends of the mid-20th century Greek paint market, like, e.g., the rather limited distribution of Ti-white. Additionally, the current findings contribute considerably towards understanding Kontoglou’s artistic methods during a highly creative period and can be utilized to support future conservation efforts. Ultimately, the current preliminary study sheds light on some methodological aspects of the pertinent research and assists towards establishing a detailed protocol for future studies.

The focus of this paper is on the large-format wooden panel painting Maundy Thursday Altarpiece from Southern Germany. Its wooden support and paint layer were severely damaged due to high climatic fluctuations, above all dryness. The aim of the research project was to develop a low-risk, conservatively acceptable procedure for controlled in situ humidification. In an interdisciplinary approach, a practical monitoring concept on-site was linked to art technology analyses, surface monitoring, hygrothermal simulations, and climate chamber tests. Based on the results, an individual climate corridor for controlled humidification of the case study was developed with the help of an enclosure and implemented in two gradual moistening phases. The combination of conservative support, measurement technology, and digital assessment allowed a controlled approach to a conservation optimum without other active interventions in the original material. The results highlight the need for object-specific strategies and humidity corridors at the interface between conservation, climate adaptation, and sustainability. A deviation from museum standard recommendations (depending on the guidelines 40–60% rH) shows the special challenges of monument preservation.

Thin gold leaves were frequently used to embellish post-Byzantine religious panel paintings. Measuring their thickness using non-destructive methods is essential for understanding the technology behind their creation and developing effective preservation strategies. This study describes a method for non-invasively measuring the thickness of these gildings using large-scale imaging micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) spectroscopy. The method relates the intensity of the Au Lα X-ray characteristic transition to the thickness of the gold layer. The method offers precise measurements of gold layer thickness in the submicrometer range on gilded surfaces, while traditional methods based on the intensity ratio of the same element prove ineffective. The method was initially validated on a mock-up sample created using traditional gilding techniques. Subsequently, the gilding was examined on two case studies of Greek religious icons. The analysis accurately measured the thickness of individual gold leaves, approximately one hundred nanometers, and identified regions with multiple overlapping layers, corresponding to structures with up to four leaves. The findings confirm that this technique offers valuable quantitative insights into the materiality and artistic techniques of these cultural heritage artifacts.

SUMMARY The conservation treatment of The three Marys at the tomb (Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen), previously attributed to the ‘Van Eyck group’, was concluded in 2012. The restored panel was presented at the exhibition The road to Van Eyck , at which the attribution was refined to “Jan van Eyck (?)” in the catalogue of the same name. The painting was loaned to the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent in 2020, where it was included in the exhibition Van Eyck: An optical revolution and attributed to Jan van Eyck (d. 1441). However, the accompanying catalogue attributed the painting to “Workshop of Jan van Eyck”. The author Larry Silver described the panel as an Eyckian work that has been associated with Jan van Eyck’s early period and excluded from his oeuvre with equal frequency. This confusing situation prompted the present, largely historiographical study, in which the earlier arguments for and against attributing the panel to Jan van Eyck have been brought together. The point of departure is the most recent substantive publication on the painting, in which Van Asperen de Boer and Giltaij attributed it to the “Van Eyck group” ( Oud Holland 1987). Their conclusions are compared with those of earlier and later researchers, with the unpublished conservation report from 2012, and with research into the Ghent Altarpiece , in which Jan van Eyck’s hand has been securely demonstrated. The article argues that the ‘status quaestionis’ regarding Jan van Eyck’s work, and specifically The three Marys at the tomb , does not justify the museum’s alteration of the attribution. The panel’s painting technique and underdrawing do indeed display ‘Eyckian’ characteristics, suggesting an author in the circle of the Van Eyck brothers, but its iconography indicates that it was created after 1455. Dendrochronological analysis would permit this later dating. Depending on how it is defined, attribution to the Van Eyck group, as suggested by Van Asperen de Boer and Giltaij, can be sustained, but an ‘anonymous follower’ – possibly a painter who had previously worked in Van Eyck’s workshop – cannot be ruled out. This would explain both the work’s stylistic affinities and its inferior quality.

Three-dimensional (3D) reproduction of artworks has advanced significantly, offering valuable insights for conservation by documenting the objects’ conservative state at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. This paper presents the 3D survey of an earthquake-damaged panel painting, whose wooden support suffered severe deformation during a seismic event, posing unique restoration challenges. Our work focuses on quantifying how shape variations in the support—induced during restoration—affect the surface morphology of the pictorial layers. To this end, we conducted measurements before and after support consolidation using two complementary 3D techniques: structured-light projection to generate 3D models of the painting, tracking global shape changes in the panel, and laser-scanning microprofilometry to produce high-resolution models of localized areas, capturing surface morphology, superficial cracks, and pictorial detachments. By processing and cross-comparing 3D point cloud data from both techniques, we quantified shape variations and evaluated their impact on the pictorial layers. This approach demonstrates the utility of multi-scale 3D documentation in guiding complex restoration interventions.

A Sanskrit manuscript of the Prajñāpāramitā or Perfection of Wisdom in eight thousand verses, now in the Cambridge University Library, Add.1643, is one of the most ambitiously designed South Asian manuscripts from the eleventh century, with the highest number of painted panels known among the dated manuscripts from medieval South Asia until 1400 CE. Thanks to the unique occurrence of a caption written next to each painted panel, it is possible to identify most images in this manuscript as representing those of famous pilgrimage sites or auspicious images of specific locales. The iconographic program transforms Add.1643 into a portable device containing famous pilgrimage sites of the Buddhist world known to the makers and users of the manuscript in eleventh-century Nepal. It is one compact colorful package of a book, which can be opened and experienced in its unfolding three-dimensional space, like a virtual or imagined pilgrimage. Building on the recent research focusing on early medieval Buddhist sites across Monsoon Asia and analyzing the representational potentials and ontological values of painting, this essay demonstrates how this early eleventh-century Nepalese manuscript (Add.1643) and its visual program document and remember the knowledge of maritime travels and the transregional and intraregional activities of people and ideas moving across Monsoon Asia. Despite being made in the Kathmandu Valley with a considerable physical distance from the actual sea routes, the sites remembered in the manuscript open a possibility to connect the dots of human movement beyond the known networks and routes of “world systems”.

In this article, a multidisciplinary methodological approach for studying a wooden panel painting is applied. The theoretical framework, within which this research has arisen, is the application of state-of-the-art non-destructive techniques for addressing issues concerning the constituting parts and composing materials of the artwork. Hereby, a post-Byzantine icon was studied, which was dated back to 1836. It is a painting executed on a wooden panel, with a decorated wooden frame attached. The artifact was thoroughly investigated through the application of infrared thermography (IRT), multispectral imaging (MSI), and macroscopic X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (MA-XRF). These analyses provided crucial information about the verso of the painting (i.e., the wooden panel and the frame) and allowed for the revelation of important details of the recto of the painting, which were not visible due to the presence of an old, decayed varnish. Additionally, through the detailed mapping of the distribution of various chemical elements on the recto of the painting and the frame, it was possible to identify the materials used and techniques employed. It is therefore shown that, when combined, the non-destructive methodologies in consideration can provide adequate information referring to the materiality and state of preservation of panel paintings, permitting the conservator to proceed to a tailored conservation treatment.

In 2024, artist Tenzing Rigdol created an installation - titled Biography of a Thought - spanning the entirety of the atrium in the Robert Lehman wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His larger-than-life mandala included twenty painted panels on four walls, a central podium with a panel on top, and carpets on the floor mirroring parts of the painted shapes on the walls. Complete with bright sunlight streaming from the above skylight, the room transformed into a modern mandala - a walkable, meditative, transformative space. Even with its multiple traditional Tibetan Buddhist components and organisational structure, many of the iconographies within the work engage in broader conversations that transcend their religious origins; the Buddhist mandalas, ritual implements, and deities are transformed by the artist, sometimes by manipulating their traditional renderings, other times by their juxtapositions with unexpected objects or scenes. Biography of a Thought thus embraces a dialogue between a range of topics: environmental concerns, social justice, violence, and human communications emerge as issues of universal concern. This essay has two goals: to reiterate the importance of space and place in the museum, highlighting the immersive work as a participatory event; and to interpret Rigdol's mandala as an exemplary contemporary artwork employing sacred imagery for secular statements.

Abstract The provenance of the panel painting of John the Baptist Enthroned in Christ Church Picture Gallery is documented as the sacristy of the ancient Florentine parish church of Santa Maria degli Ughi (now demolished). Sacristies, despite their crucial role in servicing the liturgy and safeguarding church valuables, have been neglected by art historians. Florentine Trecento sacristies and the Sacrist’s important role are considered here. The highly unusual iconography of the Oxford Baptist is analysed, and its attribution to Lippo di Benivieni – an important Florentine painter who directed a successful workshop – is confirmed. The painting is related to the earlier Baptistery mosaics in Florence and also to the burgeoning cult of Saint John in the city’s civic ceremony.

This study offers fresh insights into the technical and stylistic exchanges between Flemish and Portuguese panel painting during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. By comparing two contemporaneous works, we trace Flemish influence in Portugal through a detailed materials and techniques analysis. Non-invasive, in situ methods—including energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF), macro-photography (MP), infrared reflectography (IRR), and dendrochronology—were used to examine each painting’s wooden support, ground layer, underdrawing, and pigment stratigraphy. Select micro-sampling analyses—micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and micro-Raman spectroscopy (µ-Raman)—provided complementary data on binder and pigment composition. While both paintings share nearly identical pigments and layering sequences and employ comparable coating techniques, their ground compositions differ subtly. Notably, the Flemish work features extensive gold-leaf application, whereas underdrawing execution takes on principal importance in the Portuguese example. Together, these findings reveal that Jorge Afonso’s workshop developed a distinct Portuguese method—rooted in Flemish practices disseminated by Quentin Metsys—yet adapted to local materials and aesthetic priorities.

The study aimed to reveal the individual interpretation of Lesya Ukrainka's drama-feerie in the painting by R. Petruk “Forest Song”. Hermeneutical, comparative, iconographic, iconological, historical and cultural methods were used. The correlation between the content of the drama and the mythopoetics of the pictorial image was analysed. The panel painting was studied concerning the theme of earthly and heavenly love in world art. The study analysed the nature of personification of images of natural elements; the conventionality of pictorial and spatial solutions; and the role of attributes in the creation of artistic images. The importance of the heritage of Ukrainian Baroque and world monumental, decorative and easel art in the creation of the personal style of the work was investigated. The compositional and plastic solution of the canvas was analysed. The creative method of R. Petruk was studied in the context of the school of M. Storozhenko and the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture. The study revealed the relationship between the metaphysical nature of Mr R. Petruk's painting “Forest Song” and the nature of Volyn. The innovative approach to creating a synthetic image of a drama-feerie by visual means was demonstrated. The individual nature of perception and interpretation of a literary work was highlighted. The traditions of national and world art, on which the artist relies, were revealed. The key role of the flute in the symbolism of the panel painting was demonstrated; the leading role of music in the harmony of the universe was determined. The author revealed the deep interconnection of the images of Lukash, Mavka, and Lesya Ukrainka with the mythological hero Orpheus. The study traced the common features of Mr. Petruk's painting with the theatre curtain and the Baroque iconostasis. The study emphasised that the peculiarity of R. Petruk's composition is the monumental and decorative mode. The study results are relevant for teachers and students of artistic educational institutions, in lecture courses on the history of Ukrainian art and music culture; for artists, cultural critics and art historians in creating a history of contemporary monumental and decorative art.

The purpose of this study is to address the challenges of fire detection and suppression in woodworking factories, where the risk of fire is high due to flammable materials such as wood, wood waste, paint, and wood-based panels, as well as fire sources like burners and drying kilns. Firefighting is particularly difficult in these environments due to confined spaces and numerous obstacles. This study aims to enhance the speed and accuracy of fire detection while improving the efficiency of the fire suppression system, thereby increasing both safety and operational effectiveness. The research method utilizes deep learning techniques, specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to detect fires quickly and accurately. Automated control algorithms guide the robotic system to precisely locate the fire and adjust parameters such as spray pressure, flow rate, and distance, reducing reliance on manual control. The results of the study demonstrate that the CNN-based system significantly improves fire detection accuracy and speed, while the automated spray system optimizes water usage and enhances suppression efficiency. The conclusion highlights that integrating artificial intelligence technology into firefighting systems can improve safety, reduce response times, and lower costs, while also expanding the potential applications of AI in other high-risk industries.

Exploring the credibility of Mgq2 complex in different solvents -an emerging optical material for fluorescent paints

The development of advanced diagnostics tools for investigating artworks and monitoring their health state in a non-destructive way is a key point for their preservation and restoration. Non-invasive diagnostic approaches enable the identification of damage often hidden to restorers’ naked eyes, thereby facilitating the planning of appropriate restoration interventions. Here, the combined use of three full-field imaging techniques: shearography, thermography, and structured-light 3D scanning, has been employed as complementary tools for the diagnostics of a panel painting. As a case study, the artwork Consegna della regola Francescana, created by the Neapolitan painter Colantonio around 1445, was analyzed. The integrated application of the mentioned optical imaging techniques allows a comprehensive evaluation of the state of conservation of the work, revealing inserts, nails, and detachments. This synergistic approach also enhanced the interpretation of the results from each individual technique, offering a more complete understanding that would be unattainable with any single method alone.

Wooden panel paintings (WPPs) are among the most significant historical artworks that must be preserved for future generations. Ensuring their long-term conservation requires a comprehensive characterization of their condition, making monitoring an essential process. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current techniques employed to study support deformations in WPPs, categorizing them into localized and full-field methods. Specifically, we provide information about linear potentiometric transducers, the Deformometric Kit, and Fiber Bragg Grating sensors as techniques that provide information about specific and isolated points on the artwork’s surface. On the other hand, digital image correlation, stereo-correlation, mark-tracking, 3D modeling techniques, and the moiré method, are discussed as techniques that analyze the entire surface or a significant part of the artwork. Each method has advantages and limitations, depending on the type of monitoring needed and the desired information. Nevertheless, these techniques contribute to understanding the behavior of the artworks’ materials under environmental fluctuations or restoration interventions, aiding the development of targeted and effective conservation strategies. Furthermore, this study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of these methods in various conservation contexts and offers practical guidelines to assist conservators and researchers in selecting the most appropriate approach to support the long-term conservation of these invaluable historical artworks.