Development of a confocal x-ray fluorescence microscope for non-destructive characterization of historic paintings

Arthur Woll, Don H. Bilderback, Sol M. Gruner (Cornell University), and Jennifer Mass (University of Delaware and The Winterthur Museum) -- DMR-0415838

Research: The confocal x-ray fluorescence collaboration is currently engaged in collaborative research projects with the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Getty Museum in California, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Winterthur Museum in Delaware. Our new 3D scanner allows us to mount paintings up to 1.1x1.4 m2. The microscope has been demonstrated to allow non-destructive investigation of buried layers in historically significant samples, such as a 17th century Flemish painting, The Armorer’s Shop, shown at right.

Dr. Jennifer Mass adjusts The Armorer’s Shop (North Carolina Museum of Art), a 17th Flemish oil-on-wood panel by David Teniers the Younger. Confocal XRF is being used to uncover secrets of the painting’s origin.

Development of a confocal x-ray fluorescence microscope for characterization of buried layers in historic paintings

Arthur Woll, Don H. Bilderback, Sol M. Gruner (CHESS, Cornell University), and Jennifer Mass (University of Delaware and The Winterthur Museum) -- DMR-0415838

Education, Outreach, and Training: Participants in our project include University of Delaware graduate students Christina Bisulca and Matthew Cushman, in addition to Cornell University graduate student Sterling Cornaby. Noelle Ocon, a conservator with the North Carolina Museum of Art, has joined our effort, becoming a primary collaborator as well as a new synchrotron user.

Noelle Ocon and Arthur Woll breathe a sigh of relief, having safely mounted a valuable 17th century painting on the new scanner without incident.

Students (from left) Sterling Cornaby (CU Applied Physics), Judson Powers (CU Physics), Christina Bisulca, Matthew Cushman (University of Delaware Conservation Program)