Integrated reflectance hyperspectral imaging and macro-XRF for a full-surface non-invasive analysis of Raphael’s masterpiece “Baglioni Deposition”

In 2020, on the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, the Borghese Gallery in Rome launched an innovative project to revisit the Master’s artistic legacy through novel technologies. Among the selected paintings, the “Baglioni Deposition” (1507) was comprehensively re-examined using state-of-the-art, non-invasive imaging techniques. Reflectance Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI, 400–1700 nm) and macro-XRF (MA-XRF) were applied with high-precision scanners to perform full-surface analyses at the sub-millimetric scale. The complementary HSI and MA-XRF datasets produced multiple outputs, including enhanced documentation of the painted surface and its inner layers, as well as detailed chemical mapping. Previously undetected underdrawing features and intermediate painting phases were revealed. Integration of the two techniques enabled decoding of red pigment use, providing stratigraphic insights. Overall, this approach demonstrated high potential for deepening understanding of Raphael’s painting methods and offered unprecedented visualizations of both the surface and hidden aspects of one of his most important masterpieces.