Naturwissenschaftliche Methoden zur Beurteilung von Gemälden und Graphik

Stylistic criteria are sometimes not sufficient in order to differentiate with certainty between copies or fakes and originals. Analyses of paints, supports and artistic technique may give an indication for the earliest possible date of a painting or a work of graphic arts. For example, supports made from oak, fir, spruce and beech can be dated by yearring analysis (dendrochronology). Exclusively methods on micro and ultramicro scale are suitable for the identification of various materials, i.e. microchemistry, emission spectrographic analysis, X-ray powder diffraction because only very tiny samples can be taken from the object.