Análisis no destructivo por XRF portátil del Retablo de la Natividad del Señor del Maestro de Moguer (siglo XVI)

Abstract

In the collection of the Fine Arts Museum of Seville there ar several artworks by anonymous Spanish painters from the 16^th century. One of the most interesting among them is the Nativity altarpiece (around 1525) attributed to the Master of Moguer. The objective of the present research was to get information on painting materials applied by the artist. For this purpose, non-destructive analytical techniques have been used: exam with UV light and X-ray fluorescence. It was possible to identify the majority of the inorganic pigments used by the Master, all of them characteristic for that period of time: lead white (identified by the presence of Pb on XRF spectra), yellow and red ochres (Fe), lead-tin yellow (Pb, Sn), vermilion (Hg), a copper based green pigment (Cu) and azurite (Cu). The presence of Au confirmes the application of silver foil. In several areas of the panel later interventions have been confirmed on the bases of zinc white (Zn).