Journal article
Mapping Henry: Synchrotron-sourced X-ray fluorescence mapping and ultra-high-definition scanning of an early Tudor portrait of Henry VIII
P Dredge, S Ives, DL Howard, KM Spiers, A Yip, S Kenderdine
Applied Physics A Materials Science and Processing | SPRINGER HEIDELBERG | Published : 2015
Abstract
A portrait of Henry VIII on oak panel c. 1535 has recently undergone technical examination to inform questions regarding authorship and the painting’s relationship to a group of similar works in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Society of Antiquaries. Due to previous conservation treatments of the painting, the conventional transmission X-radiograph image was difficult to interpret. As a result, the painting underwent high-definition X-ray fluorescence (XRF) elemental mapping on the X-ray fluorescence microscopy beamline of the Australian Synchrotron. Scans were conducted at 12.6 and 18.5 keV, below and above the lead (Pb) L edges, respectively. Typical scan ..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The conservation and technical examination of Portrait of Henry VIII was funded through the generous contributions of Len Groat, Ken Reed, Hamish Parker, Friends of Conservation and a gift in memory of the late Dorothy R. Spry. Part of this research was carried out on the X-ray fluorescence microscopy beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. Access to the Australian Synchrotron was supported under the NSW Industry Synchrotron Access Scheme, funded by the NSW State Government Office of Science and Research. In addition, the authors are grateful to Gillian Osmond, Queensland Art Gallery, and Malgorzata Sawicki, Art Gallery of New South Wales for their comments.