Researchers used non-invasive analysis to trace the origins of Picasso’s bronze sculptures

Thanks to a comprehensive survey conducted by researchers from the Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University and the Picasso Museum in Paris, scholars have a better understanding of the artist’s bronzes than ever before. As Megan Fellman writes for Northwestern Now, the international team of scientists, art conservators and curators used a non-invasive analysis called X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to study 39 bronzes and 11 painted sheet metal sculptures in the Picasso Museum’s collection. Using this method, Northwestern and the Art Institute of Chicago have compiled a database of these alloy “fingerprints” for roughly 350 artworks. These measurements, which detail percentages of metal alloys in early 20th-century bronzes, allow researchers to trace the origins of specific works. Read more