Test Artifacts

Case Studies

Our lab features an educational collection of artworks and materials used as case studies to demonstrate the practical application of our instruments and methods for art examination — from imaging to spectroscopy, including Technical Photography, Raman spectroscopy, XRF spectroscopy, and more. These case studies are an essential part of our teaching and research activity, allowing us to connect theory with hands-on practice.

Working with real objects provides a deeper understanding of the techniques, their potential, and their limitations. Through direct examples, we can show how different analytical tools complement one another and how the results contribute to the study, documentation, and conservation of works of art. The educational collection includes a wide range of materials and conditions, offering situations similar to those encountered in professional conservation studios, museums, and archaeological research.

We believe that case studies are among the most effective ways to learn. Seeing how imaging and spectroscopy are applied in concrete situations helps develop both technical competence and critical thinking — the ability to interpret data in context, evaluate results, and make informed decisions.

We also hope that the examples presented here will inspire you to explore your own collection — whether it belongs to a private owner, a museum, or an institutional archive. Each artwork has its own story to tell, and scientific examination offers powerful tools to uncover and understand it.

We periodically add new case studies to this educational collection, reflecting ongoing research and new applications of our methods. Keep an eye on this page for updates and discoveries from our lab.

18th-century Map of Jerusalem
18th-century Map of Jerusalem
16th-century Antiphonary parchment sheet
16th-century Antiphonary parchment
17th-century print of the island of Seram in the Moluccas
17th-century print of the island of Seram
Early 20th century Chinese painting on silk
Early 20th-century Chinese painting on silk
16th-century woodcut leaf from the Romische Historie
16th-century woodcut leaf
20th-century serigraph print
20th-century serigraph print
Early 20th-century Persian manuscript with a drawing attached over the text
Early 20th-century Persian manuscript
15th-Century Icon – Modern Study Replica 
15th-Century Icon – Modern Replica
19th-century icon “Feast of the Pokrov (Protection) of the Veil of the Mother of God”
19th-century icon “Pokrov”
19th-century icon Saint Nicholas
19th-century icon Saint Nicholas
19th-century Sikh school miniature painting
19th-century Sikh school miniature
#57. Mid-20th-century Italian test plate for underglaze colors
Mid-20th-century Italian test plate
19th-century Color Chart Ratti Ernesto & C - Turin -Italy
19th-century Color Chart “Ratti Ernesto & C” – Turin -Italy
19th-century portrait in Orientalist style on metal plate
19th-century portrait in Orientalist style on metal plate
19th-century South-Asia Islamic manuscript
19th-century South-Asia Islamic manuscript
19th-century North Indian Manuscript
19th-century North Indian Manuscript with miniature
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Where to find other case studies:

Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands