The papers in this volume illustrate the way in which various types of technical evidence, derived from scientific examination and analysis, can contribute to the understanding of Renaissance workshop practices and the interrelationships between different artists and artisans.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has become an essential tool in any museum or gallery laboratory, allowing details of the surface and the way in which it has been modified - for example by manufacturing or during conservation - to be scrutinised. Manufacturers and scientists have been developing new instruments and new ways of gathering and processing data that have opened fresh perspectives for the examination of objects. This volume explores these developments.