Marco Nicola, Luca Matullo, Alessandro Marello, Chiara Mastrippolito, Roberto Gobetto
In authentication studies, chemists, scientists, art historians, conservators, and law enforcement collaborate to identify forgeries. For paintings, pigment characterization (detecting anachronistic materials) is decisive. Portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) is a dominant, versatile, non-destructive identification method, yet its misuse is documented and widespread. Literature and current results require contextualization by instrument and era, avoiding over-interpretation. This practical review examines pXRF’s strengths and constraints through case studies.