1 INTRODUCTION

The dream machine in analytical chemistry is a black box into which a sample is placed and out comes a complete description that answers every possible question on the sample, its materials and their origin. But things are never so simple, and in reality, the more complex an analysis question is, the more sophisticated the analysis technique it requires. Fortunately, significant advances have been and are being made in the development of new instruments, techniques, and processing programs. Exploration of these new methods shows that many have the potential to answer some of the multifaceted questions posed in the field of art conservation. Of the many techniques available, this paper describes four new methods, along with applications for their use.