Scientists have been associated with museum conservation laboratories for many years. Only recently, however, have art curators and conservators begun to appreciate the contributions that scientists can make in the preservation and restoration of art objects. At present, about a dozen museums in the United States have conservation science departments. Art conservators frequently require specific information about the component materials of a painting or object prior to treatment.
Due to their complex stratification, most questions that arise concern the nature of the components of paintings. Pigment identification is performed using polarized light microscopy and x-ray diffraction of powdered samples, or x-ray fluorescence. To study binding media, the scientist uses gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and infrared spectroscopy. Infrared reflectography is used to examine underdrawing on a painting. In addition, x-rays are often used to determine where lead white has been used on a painting, as well as to reveal damaged areas beneath the painting's surface. This talk will focus on the application of these various techniques to the examination of paintings and sculpture. Examples will be presented from the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
This talk is not just for chemists! Lots of great art will be shown, with emphasis on how scientific tests can contribute to our appreciation of the art and the artist's techniques.
Suzanne Quillen Lomax received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 1984 from the
University of Maryland, working with Patrick Mariano exploring the photochemistry
of iminium salts. She then studied intramolecular photoaddition reactions with
Frederick Lewis at Northwestern University. Dr. Lomax has been in the Scientific
Research Department of the National Gallery of Art since 1986, investigating the
identification and aging behavior of artists' materials. She has been a tour speaker
for the American Chemical Society Speaker Service since 1991. Her areas of interest
include the identification of synthetic organic pigments and modern paint binders.
In addition, she has performed extensive analyses on traditional 15th and 16th
century artists' paint binders.
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From Garden State Parkway, take Exit 105. Go through the first traffic light and take the jug handle onto Hope Road (Rte 51) northbound (sign to Fort Monmouth). At the third traffic light, turn right onto Tinton Ave. Gibbs Hall, the Officers Club, is on the right, just past the golf course.