A portable UV-fluorescence multispectral imaging system for the analysis of painted surfaces

A portable fluorescence multispectral imaging system was developed and has been used for the analysis of artistic surfaces. The imaging apparatus exploits two UV lamps for fluorescence excitation and a liquid crystal tunable filter coupled to a low-noise charge coupled device as the image detector. The main features of the system are critically presented, outlining the assets, drawbacks, and practical considerations of portability. A multivariate statistical treatment of spectral data is further considered. Finally, the in situ analysis with the new apparatus of recently restored Renaissance wall paintings is presented.