Raman Spectroscopy

Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight–Mass Spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Such technologies would normally be used in chemistry/materials science/physics labs, right?

Well, they have also been used recently to analyze works of art, including this one.

Yes, there is apparently some dispute as to whether certain paintings were in fact created by Jackson Pollock, the famed American abstract painter who died in 1956. So the Harvard’s Art Museums brought in the experts to take a close look at the pigments used in the paintings. The NY Times today tells the story about the Pollock paintings debate. Physicists have even done fractal pattern analyses to try to get at the authenticity of the paintings.

As it turns out, in the Harvard analysis [PDF], some of the pigments analyzed weren’t used in artists’ paints until after Pollock died. So the story isn’t over and the debate continues.

(Thanks Mason for pointing me to the article.)