Forschungsinfrastruktur

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

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Short Description

So-called non-destructive methods are primarily used to document and determine the material composition of a work of art, which enable material analysis without taking samples or changing the object. The miniaturization in the field of device and computer technology in recent years also allows a non-invasive determination of the material composition, i.e. a material analysis directly in collections or at archaeological sites, in order to avoid transport or climate changes for art and cultural history works.

Contact Person

Priv.-Doz. DI Dr.techn. Rita Wiesinger

Research Services

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Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure

The holistic approach for the scientific documentation of works of art makes use of radiations ranging in wavelength from X-rays to infrared (IR) in order to generate an image of the object as a whole. Most interesting in this field are X-ray radiography, UV(ultraviolet)-fluorescence and IR-photography as well as infrared reflectography. These methods, which are in a strict sense non-destructive, accord well with the way art historians, archaeologists or conservators would like to treat works of art and archaeology and therefore found early acceptance for the systematic investigation of objects of our cultural heritage.