Photon-Counting CT Scans Arcimboldo Painting at Cremona's Ala Ponzone Museum

A photon-counting computed tomography (CT) scan has been performed on Giuseppe Arcimboldo's painting L'Ortolano, held at the Pinacoteca del Museo Civico Ala Ponzone in Cremona. The scan was conducted by Humanitas University. This technology records the energy of individual photons after they interact with materials, producing images of the paint layers with a thickness of one-fifth of a millimeter. The goal is not simply to uncover a generic secret, but to observe invisible structures while reducing invasive interventions. The use of medical tools in art conservation is expanding: paintings undergo CT scans, masterpieces are sampled to identify bacteria, and medieval chapels are studied with radar and contactless scanning. This trend is turning museums, universities, and hospitals into shared laboratories. The approach is not just a spectacular way to narrate restoration; it allows for detailed analysis with minimal physical impact. The Arcimboldo case is the most recent example of this interdisciplinary practice.