Digital imaging to unveil traditional craft methods

To understand the creation and the function of a Flemish oil on panel, non-invasive technical investigations including UV, IRR, X-ray and µ-XRF have been used as a method to unveil its specific material features. The undated and unsigned panel has been attributed to The Master of the Female Half-Lengths possibly active during the early 16th Century, due to its stereotype motif, materials and dimensions. The analysis reveals that the panel has several damages due to natural and forced interventions. The painting process shows various inconsistencies, interpreted with the aid of literary sources as a product of a workshop adapted to producing art as a response to the great demand of Flemish panels from the blooming Early Dutch art market.