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The radiography of cultural property is the use of radiography to understand intrinsic details about objects. Most commonly this involves X-rays of paintings to reveal underdrawing, pentimenti alterations in the course of painting or by later restorers, and sometimes previous paintings on the support. Many pigments such as lead white show well in radiographs.
X-ray spectromicroscopy has also been used to analyse the reactions of pigments in paintings. For example, in analysing colour degradation in the paintings of van Gogh.
These processes can reveal various details about objects that are not visible to the naked eye. This information, which includes structural elements, aids conservators as they assess object condition and consider treatment plans.
For three dimensional objects, the computed tomography has become a common tool, which when combined with analysis can, for example, "digitally unroll" or unfold and make possible the reading of fragile scrolls, books, or sealed correspondence.