biostudies-literatureUnknown11(2)Pozzi FThis article highlights how advanced chemical analysis led to groundbreaking discoveries in <i>Christ Blessing</i> (1505-1506), a painting attributed to Raphael and housed in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia, Italy. Through a comprehensive, noninvasive scientific investigation conducted in situ at the museum, our team identified a distinctive freehand underdrawing executed in a dry medium with a pointed tool and a rare early use of Egyptian blue in Renaissance art. Crucially, the presence of this ancient synthetic pigmentlong thought to have vanished after antiquitywas chemically confirmed in the background of the composition, where it was used alongside azurite and ultramarine blue. This marks the only documented instance of Egyptian blue in a panel painting by Raphael and its oACS omega3509-3517https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12824709biostudies-literatureUnveiling Raphael's Christ Blessing: Chemical Analysis Reveals Distinctive Underdrawing Techniques and a Rare Early Use of Egyptian Blue in Renaissance Art.PMC12824709Cucci CStefani LGargano MCastelli LPicollo MRuberto CRicci CDemonte DPozzi FMorlotti MfalseUnveiling Raphael's Christ Blessing: Chemical Analysis Reveals Distinctive Underdrawing Techniques and a Rare Early Use of Egyptian Blue in Renaissance Art.This article highlights how advanced chemical analysis led to groundbreaking discoveries in <i>Christ Blessing</i> (1505-1506), a painting attributed to Raphael and housed in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia, Italy. Through a comprehensive, noninvasive scientific investigation conducted in situ at the museum, our team identified a distinctive freehand underdrawing executed in a dry medium with a pointed tool and a rare early use of Egyptian blue in Renaissance art. Crucially, the presence of this ancient synthetic pigmentlong thought to have vanished after antiquitywas chemically confirmed in the background of the composition, where it was used alongside azurite and ultramarine blue. This marks the only documented instance of Egyptian blue in a panel painting by Raphael and its o2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-06-06T22:37:28.413Z2026-06-06T03:10:54.021ZS-EPMC128247094158572210.1021/acsomega.5c11121