Free entry
Curator: Mireia Mestre, head of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya's Department of Restoration and Preventive Conservation
Surprise, discovery, revelation, confirmation or disappointment are some of the emotions and experiences specialists are subject to when they venture into the scientific and technical study of works of art. In the course of its history, the museum has added to the understanding of the works in its collections and other related works, with results that are sometimes frustrating, often curious and also, from time to time, spectacular. The public, however, does not usually get the chance to see the results of this research, which is shared amongst keepers of collections, art historians, conservators, restorers and scientists.
Using a display of works from different periods, all of which have been subjected to examination painted panels and polychrome sculptures, painting on canvas and various techniques on paper--, the exhibition aims to stir the public's curiosity and arouse interest in the complex work involved in expertising art.
In recent years, the keepers and restorers have exposed the works to visible and invisible electromagnetic radiation with which they have been able to identify the materials used, penetrate the layers they are made up of and discover how the artists worked and the materials, tools and techniques they used, as well as their procedures.
The original works are presented alongside the images obtained using different types of radiation and with an account of the main contributions by science. Elements be revealed that are not at first sight obvious and that are fundamental for identifying an artistic period, an artist or the history of a work. The public discover revealing testimonies or artists' amusements that have been preserved on the hidden face, the reverse, of works that are only known from their face or front. It also be possible to observe the way in which artists worked during the creative process, on the preparatory drawing or when making changes to the composition. The show sets out to explain the changing fortunes and the different alterations some works of art have seen in their lifetime and how the experts can distinguish between an original, a copy, a forgery or a hyper-restoration.
Videos of the exhibition
Exhibition rooms (PDF in Spanish - 1,6Mb)
With the support of: