Pigment Analysis

Can pigment analysis prove authenticity or definitively date a painting?
No, but it provides crucial chronological limits. The pigment analysis performed by Art Experts is a foundational step in our authentication process.

What It Actually Reveals:

• It accurately identifies the pigments used in the artwork.
• It establishes the terminus post quem (the earliest possible creation date) based on when those specific pigments were first commercially available.

Key Limitations:

• Pigment analysis cannot determine when the pigments were actually used. Many artists' materials remain available for centuries (e.g., paint from the 1900s is still sold today).
• The analysis only establishes that the work couldn't exist before certain dates.

Example:

Detecting Prussian Blue proves the work was created after 1708 (when the pigment became commercially available), but it could have been painted anytime since—even yesterday using period-accurate materials.

Our Service:

Art Experts provides full-spectrum pigment analysis, managing the entire process from sampling to final report.

Contact us to discuss the vital role this analysis will play in your artwork's comprehensive authentication