Restoring the Reclaimed $60,000,000 USD Gold Statue

This 16th century golden masterpiece is called the Saliera. Just under 30 centimeters high, the Saliera was sculpted by Renaissance master Benvenuto Cellini. It shows the graceful bodies of a man and a woman, symbolizing the god of the sea and goddess of the earth. It's worth more than 60 million US dollars. After its highly publicized theft in 2003, Austrian police chased the thief for nearly three years before the Saliera was recovered. The thief had hidden the Saliera deep in the ground. Today, art restorers are using a specialized instrument known as X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, or XRF, to study the Saliera. The XRF shoots precise X-ray beams at the sculpture. These invisible rays do not destroy or harm the treasured art and can identify a vast number of elements. Another bonus of the XRF is its portability. Since any movement to a work of art is potentially catastrophic, the goal of art restorers is to minimize any disturbance. An XRF, about the size of an overhead projector mounted on a movable chassis, can be brought right to the source. A perfect device to unlock the secrets of fragile works like the Saliera. Initial findings show that the gold in the Saliera is very pure, about 90%. The composition of the enamel that covers the masterpiece is still being examined. The information obtained from the XRF will give conservators the best chance to restore the piece and protect it for the future. It's hoped that soon the Saliera will be fully restored and back on public display.