Abstract Many art historians give a lot of attention to problems of attribution, changes of style, and artistic innovation. But often enough they are not equipped to gain more than a superficial knowledge about the very materials and techniques that were used to give these innovations their physical form. The changes in style and particularly the relations this has with aspects of material nature can often be no more than estimated with scholarly conjecture. Yet, knowledge of these aspects can have important significance for the conservation of works of art and should be one of the primary bases for curatorial decisions.
Technical analyses can then be very helpful.
Modern methods of chemical analysis are able to reveal many details about the techniques used by artists and craftsmen in the creation of works of art. It may be rewarding, however, to take a closer look at what craftsmen themselves have said about their own profession and to study the workshop records they used. Art-technical treatises can be extremely useful tools in the examination of art objects. The importance of the study of technical historical documentation seems obvious. Sources like these show us what pigments and colorants were available in certain periods.