Ultraviolet (UV) light has a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than that of X-rays. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, some materials used in paintings fluoresce.
Retouchings and over-paint applied on top of varnish show up clearly in UV as dark patches in an otherwise fluorescent area.
Traditional natural resin varnishes fluoresce a characteristic greenish yellow colour. It is therefore possible to monitor the removal of old varnishes.
Dendrochronology is a method used to identify the formation time of growth rings in wood by measuring the distance between the rings. Good growing conditions produce wide growth rings, while poor growing conditions produce narrow rings. The pattern formed by tree rings of varying thickness is therefore typical for a certain period. The seasonal changes in our northern climate cause the very clear growth pattern typical for oak. In dendrochronology it is possible to determine the precise felling date of the tree down to the exact season of the year in which the tree was felled (see more: http://www.bosch-bruegel.com/paintings.php?painting=tallinn&page=dendrochronology).
From 13th to 14th of May annual Kadriorg Art Museum’s spring conference took place. This time the conference focused on technical art history, called Techniques of Art History: Technical Art History.
Specialists from different countries discussed topics about art, it’s material and how it helps us to interprete the artwork.
One of the event’s main theme was Tracing Bosch and Bruegel international research project. During the second day of the conference, workshop and discussion were carried out, focusing on four versions of Christ Driving Money-lenders from the Temple and what kind of similarities and differences they have. Here you can follow the discussion via video documentation.
To reveal or not to reveal the hidden animals of Tallinn painting?
One of the topics was the dilemma: to reveal or not to reveal the overpainted animals (including two pigs, a donkey and a goat) of Tallinn painting: does the overpaintings have an historical value, what are the ethical dilemmas of the decision etc. (see more about the overpaintings: http://www.bosch-bruegel.com/paintings.php?painting=tallinn&page=infrared
As Alar Nurkse is just starting to carry out the trials to remove the overpaintings, we upload a short video clip of the discussion during the workshop.
In April 9, 2011 Peter van den Brink, an expert on 16th century Netherlandish painting paid a visit to the Art Museum of Estonia. During his visit he showed a special interest to the ongoing Bosch & Bruegel research project. Brink, himself a student of Dolf van Asperen de Boer, the founder of Infrared Reflectography has used the material analysis in several of his curated projects, of which the exhibition The Brueghel Enterprise (2001–2002, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht and Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten Brussel) is the most renown. The exhibition together with its catalogue set a standard for a scientific approach and serve as an excellent example of the technical art history discipline.
Peter van den Brink is an internationally renowned art historian, specialising in the Netherlandish art of the 16-17th century.
Since 2005, Peter van den Brink has been the director of the Aachen City Museums, and previously worked as the chief curator of the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht.
Tracing Bosch and Bruegel: Four Paintings Magnified is an exciting pan-European art detective scenario investigating four Netherlandish paintings from the 16th century.The busy compositions all present ‘Christ chasing the moneylenders from the temple’ and reuse popular iconography influenced by the famous painters Hieronymous Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
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