Multi-analytical characterization of the palette and painting techniques of Henri Matisse

The aim of this study was to characterize the pigments, ground layers materials and technique used in a set of paintings by French artist Henri Matisse by means of complementary analyses. Infrared photography and reflectography allowed the study of the underdrawing technique, and macro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (MA-XRF) combined with fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) were used to identify the painting materials. Moreover, cross-sections from the paintings were examined by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The characterization of the palette and ground layers brought a new insight of the adopted painting technique by one of the artists who best helped to define the revolutionary developments in the visual arts throughout the opening decades of the twentieth century.