Back (Verso)
The back of a painting provides a wealth of information about its structure. Changes made to the canvas, such as visible repairs, reveal past damage or vulnerabilities. Markings, labels, and inscriptions often tell new stories of the painting’s past, including original titles, previous owners, and exhibition histories.
Raking Light
Raking light, directed from a side angle, casts surface textures into strong relief. This technique highlights details such as thick brushstrokes, canvas weave, or cracks in the paint layers.
Specular Light
Light cast directly onto the painting’s surface at a 90-degree angle highlights glossy or matte qualities. This technique helps determine if a varnish is present and quickly exposes variations of sheen in different paints.
Infrared Reflectography
Infrared reflectography (IRR) uses a specially adapted camera to detect infrared energy. When an image of a painting is captured using infrared light, some pigments appear transparent, which enables the viewer to see through overlying layers of paint. This technique often reveals hidden details, such as preparatory drawings by the artist or parts of the composition the artist painted over.
Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet (UV) light sources cause certain materials to absorb and re-emit colorful light, known as fluorescence. The fluorescence of some materials can identify certain pigments, such as zinc white, which produces a vibrant glow. Conservators can also detect previous treatments, which may appear dark purple.
X-radiography
X-radiography uses an X-ray source and sensitive film to produce an image of the painting’s composite layers. Materials transparent to X-rays appear dark in the images, while X-ray–absorbing materials like lead white and metal hardware appear white. Artist’s changes and, in some exciting instances, completely different, earlier compositions may be unveiled.
Technical Imaging Suite
View all objects in the technical imaging suite to reveal hidden details and examine underlying material layers.
