Dating and technological features of wooden panel painting attributed to Cesare da Sesto

The most frequent dating methods of wooden artefacts are briefly introduced and discussed. Each of them shows merits and shortcomings. Therefore, an integrated approach of different techniques sometimes allows overcoming specific difficulties. The dating of a wooden support of a precious panel painting through a detailed xylological analysis and the joint use of dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating techniques is proposed. While any single dating technique demonstrated ineffective, the simultaneous use of several approaches in the study of the artefact led to excellent results in terms of both reliability and resolution, thus contributing to the inclusion of this painting in a specific historical period. On the basis of the performed dating, supported by the features of the panel and by a chemical-stratigraphic analysis of paint fragments, the artwork cannot be attributed to Cesare da Sesto. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.