Strategy AV21

Under the frame of Strategy AV21 laboratory  ALMA is involved in two programmes - „Diagnostic Methods and Techniques“ and „The City as a Laboratory of Change“. Novel analytical approaches, e.g. an application of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) or secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI) are being developed in collaboration with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

ALMA is involved in the topic: New microscopic methods for the analysis of fine arts and the study of degradation processes in paints.“

The aim of the activity is to deepen the knowledge of art materials and painting techniques, which will improve and speed up the evaluation of a work of art in terms of its origin, age and authenticity. The topic has a strong social accent in the field of cultural heritage protection, appreciation of art collections in the Czech Republic or in the detection of forgeries. It is interdisciplinary, interconnects natural sciences with humanities and has a strong potential to create synergic effects. The key directions of development should be both non-invasive analytical procedures that do not require intervention in the work of art (trend of recent years) and advanced microscopic procedures on collected micro-samples, which will be used in provenance analysis of materials or in the study of their degradation.


Contact person: Dr. David Hradil