# Authentication of a Painting by [PERSON] Using Modern Multi-Analytical Methods
## 3 Results and Discussions
### Analysis of Painting Materials
Thus, the following aspects are highlighted very clearly, using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with EDX, and by \(\upmu\)-FTIR spectrophotometry [26; 27; 28; 29; 30]:  
* the manner and degree of elaboration of the colors when creating the work by the painter;
* polychrome combination systems and their stratigraphic arrangement;
* arrangement of the areas of varnish and dirt fouling on colors;
* the depth of the presence of archaeometric and chemometric characteristics, with archaeometric value (the degree of their penetration in the volume phase of the analyzed materials);
* the morphology of the surfaces, with the highlighting of the iridescence and texture, and the microtopography (alveolations, lacunae, scabs/scales, cracks and rises in the roof);
* the shape and arrangement of the pigment granules and cellulose fibers of the support;
* the rate of alteration of the pressed cardboard support, etc. Figure 16 and Table 1 show the data obtained through SEM-EDX for a series of colors, varnish, and support. Figure 15: OM microphotographs of some components of the painting materials (50 \(\times\) and 100 \(\times\)). From the analysis of the texture and granulometry by SEM and of the elemental composition EDX in the sample from the white paint layer, in five analysis areas (samples W1-W5), the ZnO pigment was identified, poorly dispersed in other pigments. It had, together with a void type destruction selected in the internal structure unaffected by the environmental factors (sample W3), a porous structure of the surface layer, affected by the environmental factors (sample W4). The latter represents an archaeometric characteristic given by porosity, which gradually increases from the inside to the surface, by 250 \(\mu\)m. Additionally, the W5 sample showed an important archaeometric feature related to the surface structure with fouled dirt penetrated in the volume phase on 150 \(\mu\)m. All five areas of the white sample contain zinc oxide white pigment, poorly mixed with calcium carbonate (chalk powder--CaCO\({}_{3}\)) and gypsum (CaSO\({}_{4}\)), coming from the preparation. Aluminum oxide (Al\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\)) from the preparation and cardboard was identified in sample W1. Sample W2 is the weakest impurities with the two fillers materials for preparation, being considered in this archaeometric evaluation as a _reference sample_, and zone W5 contains traces of potassium and barium aluminosilicate from contamination with atmospheric dust, fouled in varnish, with superficial penetration. This represents an archaeometric characteristic that  
Figure 16: SEM microphotographs of some painting materials and support, analyzed in BSE: (**a**) samples of white color, zonal analyzed surfaces (W1–W5); (**b**) samples of blue color, entire analyzed surface (B0), and zonal analyzed surfaces (B1–B5); (**c**) samples of red 1 color, zonal analyzed surfaces (R1.1 and R1.2); (**d**) samples of red 2 color, zonal analyzed surfaces (R2.1, R2.2, and R2.3); (**e**) sample of yellow color (entire analyzed surface); (**f**) sample of varnish (entire analyzed surface); (**g**) sample of support (entire analyzed surface). differentiates this area from the first four and is given by the reduced carbon composition and increased in oxygen, due to the oxidative processes of fouling. In the case of the blue pigment, in addition to the homogeneous color sample (B0), five other samples were taken from different areas, containing the main color (B1-B5), with characteristics of easily differentiable surface structures, as follows: sample B1--an area unaffected by environmental factors, with slightly differentiated stratigraphy; sample B2--a central structure, homogeneous restricted area, used as a reference (low degree of contamination, with uniform nuance and stratigraphic structure); sample B3--surface structure fouled in varnish; samples B4 and B5--varnished, uncracked median structures.