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Scanning macro-XRF, XRF point measurements and hyperspectral reflectance imaging in the visible and near-infrared range were combined to characterize the pigments of a Tibetan painting. The complementary use of the different investigation techniques allowed us to (i) clearly identify the pigments used by the artist, (ii) strengthen the few data present in historical and contemporary sources and (iii) provide data necessary for any accurate conservation treatment of the painting. The proposed methodology allows an in-depth characterization of the materials used in thangkas, with the identification of all the pigments used by Tibetan artists, as shown by the analyses of reference samples. In the present study traditional pigments, commonly cited in historical sources, were identified such as vermilion, minium, orpiment and azurite, but also more unusual compounds such as brochantite and antlerite (in blue/green areas). Elemental distribution images confirmed that some parts of the thangka were restored, without taking into account the original pigments or the original design. Underlying annotations and a carbon black under-drawing were highlighted by the application of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging technique, which proved to be particularly useful for the study of such paintings.

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Here, the X‐ray fluorescence technique is used to determine the thickness of a coating layer as well as to analyze the surface of objects. Four metals (Ag, Cu, Fe, Pb) were covered with increasing thicknesses of gold. The measurements were performed with a commercial handheld instrument, X‐SORT (Spectro). In double layers, the thickness of the covering layer was assessed by (a) the ratio between the most intense fluorescence lines of the covered element, (b) a cross‐ratio between two lines of the elements in the two layers, and (c) the ordinary partial least squares (PLS) regression method. In all cases, the curves obtained could be used for the quantitative determination of the thickness. The experimental data followed the theoretical trend even though the values of the attenuation parameters were not always in agreement with the theoretical ones. Comparisons and discussion of the results of the different approaches and also with models in the literature are made. The methods studied were applied to determine the nature of the coating layers of some gilded objects and proved to be suitable for estimating the thickness of gold by providing results that were in good agreement with each other.

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