Advances in the Scientific Study of Painted Artworks

Dear Colleagues,

The scientific investigation of painted artwork is a cornerstone of cultural heritage research. Analytical approaches provide critical insights into the materials and techniques employed by artists, the technological knowledge of their time, and the transformations these works undergo as they age. By identifying and characterizing pigments, binding media, grounds, varnishes, and degradation products, researchers can reconstruct artistic practices, trace material histories, and evaluate the current preservation state of painted heritage.

In recent decades, the field has been transformed by advances in spectroscopic, chromatographic, imaging methods and digitalization, alongside the growing adoption of non-invasive and mobile instrumentation. These innovations have greatly expanded the capacity to study paintings in situ, minimizing risk while maximizing the depth and reliability of the information retrieved. Beyond their applications to conservation and restoration, such studies inform broader questions of provenance, authenticity, workshop practice, and cultural exchange.

This Special Issue of Heritage (MDPI), entitled “Advances in the Scientific Study of Painted Artworks”, will showcase cutting-edge research dedicated to the study of paintings across cultures and periods. We welcome original contributions that highlight methodological innovations, present case studies of painted works, or explore issues of material degradation and preservation. Submissions emphasizing non-invasive and mobile analytical techniques, heritage digitalization (non-invasive digital recording, e.g., hyperspectral imaging, 3D scanning, and reflectance transformation imaging), as well as interdisciplinary studies bridging science with art history, conservation, or archaeology, are especially encouraged. Critical reviews and perspectives on current challenges and future directions are also invited.

By gathering these contributions, the aim of this Special Issue is to advance the scientific study of painted artworks, foster cross-disciplinary dialogue, and deepen our collective understanding of the materials, methods, and histories embedded in painted heritage.

Dr. Eleni Kouloumpi
Prof. Dr. Peter Vandenabeele
Dr. Sara Valadas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• conservation science
• analytical methods
• pigments
• binding media
• non-invasive analysis
• mobile instrumentation
• archaeometry