Reflectance Spectroscopy (RS)

Reflectance Spectroscopy (RS)

In the analysis of polychrome artworks, among the techniques available in a portable version, Reflectance Spectroscopy (RS) has been established as a powerful one for the identification of pigments. The peculiar advantage of this method with respect to the other spectroscopies most commonly used, such as XRF and Raman, is that the RS equipment can be assembled with relatively low-cost components.Reflectance Spectroscopy shows, for each wavelength, the ratio between the intensity of the reflected light and the incident light, measured with respect to a standard white reference (reflectance). The reflectance spectra provide information useful for the identification of pigments.

Equipment

Gorgias

Gorgias, our Reflectance Spectroscopy System specifically designed for the examination of Art and Archaeology. This spectrometer covers the spectral range 350-1000 nm. 

GorgiasUV

GorgiasUV, this spectrometer is based on Gorgias but it is optimized to cover a larger UV range up to 200 nm.  

reflectance spectroscopy for pigments

Applications in Art examination

Gorgias,  our Reflectance Spectroscopy System, allows to identify pigments.

Click here to visit our Artifacts categories 

Learn this method. Our RS Training module

The Reflectance Spectroscopy (RS) Training module discusses the procedures for pigments’ identification using a spectral database and our affordable spectrometer.

Topics

Publications on Reflectance Spectroscopy
A. Cosentino “FORS spectral database of historical pigments in different binders” e-conservation Journal 2, 57–68, 2014.
A. Cosentino “FORS, Fiber Optics Reflectance Spec­troscopy con gli spet­trometri minia­tur­iz­zati per l’identificazione dei pig­menti” Archeo­mat­ica, 1, 16–22, 2014.
A. Cosentino “Transmittance spectroscopy and transmitted multispectral imaging to map covered paints” Conservar Património 24, 37-45, 2016.
A. Cosentino “Application note 1: Testing GorgiasUV on Pigments Checker” 2021.
A. Cosentino “Application note 4: Gorgias Reflectance Spectra Database for Pigments Checker Modern & Contemporary Art” 2022.
A. Cosentino “Application note #5: Reflectance Spectra Database (GorgiasUV Spectrometer)
for Pigments Checker - Modern & Contemporary Art” 2022.