TECHNICAL EXPERTISES – OVERALL VIEW

CLASSIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES OF EXPERTISE APPLIED TO WORKS OF ART


A. Dating methods : allow to determine the age of the objects – or that of their constitutive materials – even if the obtained date is delivered with some degree of error.

Radiocarbon
Thermoluminescence

B. Authentication methods : allow to determine whether the objects are or aren’t genuine without the possibility to obtain a precise date

1. Techniques relying on the structure of the materials involved

a. Methods aiming to magnify the surface in order to get more information

Stereoscopy
Endoscopy
Optical microscopy (including metallography)
Electron microscopy

b. Methods allowing to penetrate into the materials

Reflectography
Radiography and scanner
Gammagraphy

2. Techniques relying on the nature of the materials involved

X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
SEM-EDX
Infrared spectroscopy (IR)