Nonlinear microscopy looks beneath the surface of historic artwork

摘要

Fine paintings are more than skin deep: Human vision can penetrate tens to hundreds of microns, a depth that can include dozens of layers of paint. For centuries, painters have layered their paints for artistic effect, and conservators and art historians today are interested in probing those layers to learn about artists' materials and methods, undocumented restorations, and chemical changes in pigments over time.