Michelangelo Exposed Behind Couch Through X-ray Microscopy

What if that old creepy painting hanging above your Grandpa's sofa was actually an authentic Renaissance original? A man from Buffalo, NY has a good reason to believe that his favorite family heirloom --tucked away behind their couch for years -- is an authentic Michelangelo.

The owner of the painting, identified in the media as "Martin", sought the expertise of Antonio Forcellino (a Michelangelo Biographer and author of the book The Lost Pieta) to help him substantiate his claim. Forcellino believes that the results of the x-ray analysis conducted on the painting reveal many of Michelangelo's trademark artistic processes, and that it is without a doubt the missing Pieta. The estimated dollar value of an original Michelangelo is as high as 300 million.

One x-ray technology used to identify/preserve historical works of art is confocal x-ray fluorescence microscopy. The technique is employed by scientists to detect colors as well as find/reconstruct layers of paintings -- like an artist's original mistakes that lie hidden underneath the surface of the painting.

For now Martin's painting is tucked away in a secure vault, awaiting more scientific analysis, preservationist scrutiny and financial appraisal.

To learn more about confocal x-ray fluorescence microscopy and art preservation, check out this NPR Interview or this paper from Cornell University.

references:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mike_found_in_buffalo_Or3Ok3NfUR21qEqBxK3u2H

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319379/Brooklyn-Michelangelo-Kober-family-painting-actually-300m-masterpiece.html

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/press-and-media/close-examination

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628101454.htm

http://www.ndt.net/article/wcndt00/papers/idn265/idn265.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confocal_microscopy