Non-invasive investigations of the materials and painting technique of Puberty (1894), Anxiety (1894) and Vampire (1895) by Edvard Munch

The results from the first systematic analytical survey of three of Munch's paintings, Puberty, Anxiety and Vampire, dated to the 1890s, are reported. The study was carried out through the transnational access programme of MOLAB within the European Eu-ARTECH project (FP6), which offered access to a mobile analytical facility devoted to in-situ non-invasive investigations of art historical objects. The study aimed to provide a thorough examination of painting materials and of their present condition by a total non-invasive diagnostic approach. The acquired information constitutes the first basic step towards the definition of the most appropriate future conservation strategies targeted to the specific needs of these three paintings.