MA-XRF and SEM-EDX data: Figure Study: Old Man with Beard by James Ensor

This dataset contains raw and processed MA-XRF (Macro X-ray Fluorescence) scanning data and SEM-EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) data collected from Figure Study: Old Man with Beard (1878-79, Mu.ZEE, inv. no. SM000216, T110) by James Ensor (1860-1949). The data was acquired to investigate an exceptional case of canvas reuse during Ensor's academic period, in which three superimposed figure studies and a sketch on the reverse of the canvas were detected and reconstructed. The MA-XRF data comprises two scans covering 55 x 52 cm each, acquired with a custom-built AXIL scanning system at the University of Antwerp. The SEM-EDX data includes elemental count maps and backscattered electron images of two paint cross-sections, providing insights into the paint layer build-up. Full details on instrumentation, scan parameters, and sampling locations are provided in the README file and the associated publication.