Preparing High-Quality Micrographic Samples of Oil Paintings

A technique similar to that of metallography has been devised for preparing cross-sectional micrographic specimens from small samples cut from oil paintings. Art experts at the Cleveland Museum of Art use the technique in their efforts to determine painters’ methods and to verify the authenticity of paintings. By implementing the technique with automated polishing equipment, they can prepare a cross-sectional specimen in 20 min, and a publication-quality photomicrograph (see figure) can be made from the specimen. In contrast, the prior manual preparation technique took about 4 h and yielded specimens that contained scratches and were not flat enough for viewing at higher magnifications.