AW: [ RadSafe ] Nuclear techniques applied to Da Vinci painting research

[Franz Schönhofer]

Stewart,

The story you forwarded is interesting at least for one - me!

The story has a few shortcomings. There is no source given, the scientists
are not named nor the institution where the work has been done. According to
the literature I consulted via Google, there exist several versions of the
painting "Madonna of the Yarnwinder" (Madonna dei Fusi) and it is not really
which one and what parts have been painted by Leonardo himself and what by
his workshop students. 

The technique for the investigations used was obviously PIXE. When you
search at Google "Madonna dei Fusi PIXE" you will find interesting hints and
the connection between the Madonna and PIXE. You will also find a link to
papers from a conference, one of them providing an overview on a part of
nuclear techniques in art research with the title "L'uso degli acceleratori
di particelle per analis di opera d'arte....", very easily translatable for
an English speaking person indeed: The use of particle accelerators for the
analysis of works of art.... The article is in Italian, but has
self-explaining graphs and figures. As it turns out this conference, dealing
also with the Madonna and PIXE has been held alrady in 2004, so the article
from Reuters is not really breaking news.

Radiation and nuclear techniques are state of the art in research on
artworks and archeological artefacts - think of the use of x-rays on
paintings, the C-14 based age determination, the various nuclear based
analytical methods for the chemical composition of even the smallest samples
with methods like PIXE, neutron activtion analysis etc. etc. 

Hope you enjoy the links on Google!

Best regards,

Franz


Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
MinRat i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] Im Auftrag
von stewart farber
Gesendet: Samstag, 01. September 2007 16:36
An: radsafe at radlab.nl
Betreff: [ RadSafe ] Nuclear techniques applied to Da Vinci painting
research

Hi all,
Neat story below [which may be of interest to some]  of what is referred to 
only as  'a so-called "nuclear accelerator" device' used in fascinating 
research on painting techniques of Leonardo Da Vinci. Another example of 
nuclear technologies being used to the benefit of man.

Stewart Farber, MS Public Health
[203] 441-8433 [office]
email: radproject at sbcglobal.net
============================

Da Vinci's Painting Technique Uncovered
By Silvia Ognibene,
Reuters
Posted: 2007-09-01 01:41:30
Filed Under: Science News
FLORENCE, Italy (Sept. 1) - Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci avoided the

palette and mixed colors directly on the canvas, Italian researchers said 
after they reconstructed his work step by step "as if watching him while he 
painted."

Researchers have announced several Da Vinci discoveries over the last year. 
In July, Slavisa Pesci claimed he found hidden figures in Da Vinci's famous 
15th-century mural painting "The Last Supper."
Using a scientific device to analyze Leonardo's "Madonna  of the Yarnwinder"

painting, researchers at the University of Florence said they were able to 
pinpoint virtually every stroke made by the famous Italian artist on the oil

masterpiece.