Characterization by Different Non‐Invasive Methods Artworks From Brazilian Modernist Painters Tarsila Do Amaral and Anita Malfatti

In this study, four paintings by the Brazilian artists Tarsila do Amaral and Anita Malfatti were analyzed using x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and macro‐x‐ray fluorescence (MA‐XRF) scanning. The analyzed artworks by Tarsila do Amaral were “Autorretrato com vestido laranja” (1921) and “Figura Só” (1930), while the investigated paintings by Anita Malfatti were “A Estudante” (1915–1916) and “Interior de Mônaco” (1925). These artworks were produced at different stages of the artists' careers; therefore, one of the objectives was to evaluate the differences present in these distinct creative periods. The results mainly indicated a change in the ground layers of the paintings. This analysis was performed using the differential attenuation of characteristic x‐ray photons, which allows the assessment, through Kα/Kβ and Lα/Lβ ratios, of the possible origin of elements in a multilayer matrix. Additionally, elemental maps obtained by MA‐XRF enabled the evaluation of the paintings' conservation state. Based on these results, it was possible to identify similarities and differences in the creative processes and materials employed by the artists in the making of their artworks.