Scientific analysis at the Hamilton Kerr Institute has mainly focused upon artists’ materials and their methods.
Artists’ materials can be sub-divided into organic and inorganic materials.
Methods of analysis can be sub-divided into destructive and non-destructive techniques. Non-destructive techniques (eg. surface examination of the painting using: a stereo-microscope, IR, UV or X-ray) are always preferred over invasive techniques that require paintings to be sampled.