The painting Nightrider, 1972, by Norwegian artist Victor Lind consists of household acrylic emulsion paint on canvas with two thick layers of clear lacquer applied on top to produce a smooth, glossy surface. The coating has deteriorated and now exhibits significant scratches, scuffs and areas of delamination across the surface. To facilitate a re-saturation treatment of the coating, optical and instrumental analysis of the painting was undertaken using stereomicroscopy, XRF, micro-FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and STA to help identify the pigments and characterise the composition of the lacquer. This was supplemented with information from the artist, who recalled that the coating was industrial grade ‘floor lacquer from 1972’, and research into lacquers available in Norway at that time thought to be primarily nitrocellulose-based or polyurethane-modified alkyd resin. However, scientific analysis identified the coating as a styrene-modified acrylic resin. These findings outline the challenges of aligning technical examination with anecdotal and historical evidence.