High-Tech (Synchrotron Radiation) Analysis for Artefacts

Art historians, archaeologists and conservators are constantly concerned with the questions of where, when and by whom an object was made. The co-operation between scientists and art historians, archaeologists and conservators plays a unique role in providing a scientific base for the development of art history, archaeology, authentication, restoration and conservation. Until now, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray micro-analysis were the most used non-destructive methods for investigating artefacts. However, these methods have their limits. Especially, when the task appeared to determine the materials formerly used for creating paintings, glass and metallic artefacts. In one are the investigated areas very small, in the others, the analysis of the trace elements is of importance when concerning the origin, the authenticity or the metallurgical process applied during a certain period. For about ten years, synchrotron induced x-ray fluorescence (S-XRF) and synchrotron induced x-ray diffraction (S-XRD) take more and more importance in archaeology and art: By its high brilliance, the linear polarization, the bright spectral range and the possibility to perform x-ray scanning microscopy with micrometer resolution synchrotron radiation allows the scientists to yield a high degree of information on paint layers as well as trace elements in artefacts. The information gained is of great importance while allocating an object to a particular historic or prehistoric context, determining the correctness of the claimed provenance or exploring the materials and the technology used for manufacturing an artefact. The aim of this project is to investigate various representations of "Madonna with Child" of the 14th to the 16th century, various parts of the so-called Wiener Lacktafeln of the Baroque period from the Vieux-Laque-Saloon of Schloss Schönbrunn (Vienna/Austria), specimens of the wooden decoration in Palais Epstein (19 th century) built by Theophil von Hansen in Vienna/Austria, glass fragments from excavation projects in Ephesus/Turkey as well as metallic findings in Buschberg/Lower Austria. The project will take place mostly at the Academy of Fine Arts in the group of Prof. Dr. Manfred Schreiner. This group works in the field of science and technology applied to objects of art and archaeology and especially with non-destructive micro-analysis methods. Alnother aim of this project is to intensify the co-operation with the group of micro-fluorescence and diffraction beamline ID22 at the ESRF (Grenoble, France) and eventually to initiate co-operation with Daresburry Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) in Warrington/UK as well as with BESSY 2 in Berlin/Germany.