Analytical characterization of artists' pigments used in old and modern paintings by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence

The analytical characterization of artists' pigments is a most helpful tool for art history, conservation and restoration of paintings. A very gentle method of ultra-microsampling was developed that is especially applicable to paintings under restoration. It provides a sample mass of about 1 mug and is virtually non-destructive. This minute amount is sufficient for total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) to determine most of those elements building inorganic pigments. The convenient and fast method was applied to oil paintings. Various pigments were identified and their mixing proportion was determined even quantitatively