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Juan Martínez Montañés was one of the most important sculptors and altarpiece architectsof the Spanish Golden Age. The restoration of the Santa Clara church in Seville has presented a unique opportunity to study the main altarpiece, crafted by Montañés between 1621 and 1623. He was also in charge of the polychromy and gilding, believing that delegating these procedures to others would diminish the quality of his work. This conviction led to a well-known lawsuit with the renowned contemporary Spanish painter Francisco Pacheco. Ultimately, the painter and sculptor Baltasar Quintero performed the polychromy of this altarpiece, but under the strict conditions of Montañés. Various non-invasive analytical techniques, such as CT, UVF, XRF, and digital microscopy, were employed to study woodtreatment and polychromy. Additionally, three samples were prepared as cross-sections and analysed by SEM-EDX. The results revealed Montañés’ meticulous woodwork, anticipating its long-term preservation. Consistent with Montañés’ commitment to maintaining the superior quality of his work, the analysis showed an absence of a ground layer in the flesh areas, while the gilding was executed with high-quality gold. The pigment palette corresponds to the treaties and documents of his time, and the extensive areas of later retouches were accurately located. These new data provide a deeper understanding of both the technique and the high standards of one of the most important and globally recognised sculptors.

Francisco de Zurbarán was one of the greatest painters of the Spanish Golden Age, with artworks scattered all over the world. Unfortunately, there are hardly any exhaustive studies on the pigments that he used. In this work, four canvas paintings attributed to the Zurbarán Workshop were studied. Each of them presents the figure of a different saint in a particular isolation scene: Saint Bruno, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Dominic of Guzman, and Saint Peter Martyr. Nevertheless, the painting of Saint Peter Martyr shows superior quality in both technique and colours, so it is not clear whether this canvas was also made by the Workshop or by Zurbarán himself, as some art historians claim. Coinciding with conservation and restoration works, the paintings were initially analysed with non-invasive techniques such as ultraviolet photography (UV), infrared reflectography (IRR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine the characterization of the pigments. Those studies were complemented by stratigraphic analysis of some extracted samples with optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX). Among a number of results obtained, we found significant differences between the pigment palette used in Saint Peter Martyr and the other paintings, supporting the hypothesis that this painting was done by Zurbarán himself instead of his workshop. These results could also help to distinguish other authentic paintings by the master’s hand from very similar paintings by his workshop or by other artists.

Francisco Pacheco (1564–1644) was one of the most important Spanish painters, the author of the famous treatise Art of Painting, and a founder of Seville art school. His painting La Inmaculada (1610) forms part of the important art collection in the Archbishop’s Palace in Seville and represents the first realization of a new iconography, established by Pacheco. Later, he carried out several paintings with the same subject which are today in different collections. As part of a larger project, La Inmaculada was recently restored and analysed. The characterization of materials and painting procedures was carried out applying noninvasive in situ analysis by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Results revealed many retouches, probably from different periods, as well as some pentimenti in the composition. Chemical analysis indicates a preparation made of Seville clay, lead white and some calcite on an animal glue layer, according to Pacheco’s own treatise, and a corresponding pigment palette for the 17th century: lead white, yellow and red earths, lead–tin yellow, vermilion, azurite, smalt, a copper-based green, umber, and bone black. Furthermore, modern pigments such as titanium and zinc whites, chrome green, and cadmium yellow were also identified as results of later interventions.

The Archbishop’s Palace of Seville harbours an important art collection with mostly works by great Renaissance and Baroque artists. However, the authorship of some paintings is unknown, and, in a few cases, there is an interest in discovering the painter due to the quality of the artwork. As a first step for this purpose, a systematic analysis procedure has been established using nondestructive techniques, such as UV photography and IR reflectography, to locate interventions and underpaintings, as well as X-ray fluorescence to identify original pigments and those of later interventions. The study following this established protocol is presented with the example of two paintings by unknown authors. They were made in different centuries representing, consequently, different styles. UV images showed several retouches, while IR reflectography revealed underdrawing and composition corrections (pentimenti). Furthermore, XRF identified the pigments applied in the production of the different colours and tonalities, allowing to characterise the artist’s palette, whose pigments generally agree with the dates when the artworks were produced. This study resulted in valuable information on painting materials and techniques, which will be useful in the search for authorships, among others.

Francisco Pacheco (1564–1644) was one of the most important Spanish painters, the author of the famous treatise Art of Painting, and a founder of Seville art school. His painting La Inmaculada (1610) forms part of the important art collection in the Archbishop’s Palace in Seville and represents the first realization of a new iconography, established by Pacheco. Later, he carried out several paintings with the same subject which are today in different collections. As part of a larger project, La Inmaculada was recently restored and analysed. The characterization of materials and painting procedures was carried out applying noninvasive in situ analysis by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), infrared reflectography (IRR), and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Results revealed many retouches, probably from different periods, as well as some pentimenti in the composition. Chemical analysis indicates a preparation made of Seville clay, lead white and some calcite on an animal glue layer, according to Pacheco’s own treatise, and a corresponding pigment palette for the 17th century: lead white, yellow and red earths, lead–tin yellow, vermilion, azurite, smalt, a copper-based green, umber, and bone black. Furthermore, modern pigments such as titanium and zinc whites, chrome green, and cadmium yellow were also identified as results of later interventions.

The Archbishop’s Palace of Seville harbours an important art collection with mostly works by great Renaissance and Baroque artists. However, the authorship of some paintings is unknown, and, in a few cases, there is an interest in discovering the painter due to the quality of the artwork. As a first step for this purpose, a systematic analysis procedure has been established using non-destructive techniques, such as UV photography and IR reflectography, to locate interventions and underpaintings, as well as X-ray fluorescence to identify original pigments and those of later interventions. The study following this established protocol is presented with the example of two paintings by unknown authors. They were made in different centuries representing, consequently, different styles. UV images showed several retouches, while IR reflectography revealed under-drawing and composition corrections (pentimenti). Furthermore, XRF identified the pigments applied in the production of the different colours and tonalities, allowing to characterise the artist’s palette, whose pigments generally agree with the dates when the artworks were produced. This study resulted in valuable information on painting materials and techniques, which will be useful in the search for authorships, among others.

Francisco de Zurbarán was one of the greatest painters of the Spanish Golden Age, with artworks scattered all over the world. Unfortunately, there are hardly any exhaustive studies on the pigments that he used. In this work, four canvas paintings attributed to the Zurbarán Workshop were studied. Each of them presents the figure of a different saint in a particular isolation scene: Saint Bruno, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Dominic of Guzman, and Saint Peter Martyr. Nevertheless, the painting of Saint Peter Martyr shows superior quality in both technique and colours, so it is not clear whether this canvas was also made by the Workshop or by Zurbarán himself, as some art historians claim. Coinciding with conservation and restoration works, the paintings were initially analysed with non-invasive techniques such as ultraviolet photography (UV), infrared reflectography (IRR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine the characterization of the pigments. Those studies were complemented by stratigraphic analysis of some extracted samples with optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Among a number of results obtained, we found significant differences between the pigment palette used in Saint Peter Martyr and the other paintings, supporting the hypothesis that this painting was done by Zurbarán himself instead of his workshop. These results could also help to distinguish other authentic paintings by the master's hand from very similar paintings by his workshop or by other artists.