Online as of now documentation and art historical data of five paintings from the Berlin Gemäldegalerie
6 June 2014
Thanks to the collaboration of nearly three decades with the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, the Berlin Gemäldegalerie is the only museum in the world able to make consistent and systematic use of neutron-activation autoradiography (NAAR) in the examination of paintings. As a result of this partnership, neutron-activation autoradiographs have been produced for the entire corpus of Rembrandt paintings held at the Gemäldegalerie. Neutron-induced autoradiography is an exceptionally versatile and successful method to examine paintings in a nondestructive manner. Since 2011 these neutron activation autoradiographs has become an important subject of a long-term interdisciplinary research project, made possible by the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The aim of this research project is to conduct for the first time in-depth analysis by comparing data of technical research (in particular neutron-activation autoradiography) with art-historical findings. The core of these examinations consists of an integrated study on provenance, exhibition history and restoration history on the one hand, and new analyses of the painting techniques on the other. By linking material-technical and art-historical facets, the findings can be embedded in their original iconographic and cultural-historical context. The project will focus on new insights relating to the genesis of the paintings, the development of subjects and motifs, as well as Rembrandt’s artistic and painterly technique. By combining technical and art-historical research within an interdisciplinary team the project will achieve innovative results that are beyond previous research.
All relevant information covered in the project has subsequently be made accessible to the public as part of The Rembrandt Database. This information includes: data from the technical analysis of the paintings, the actual scans made using scientific imaging techniques (NAAR, X-radiography, infrared reflectography and microscopic imaging techniques), the accompanying explanations of the images, their art-historical interpretation, the historical records relating to the people and institutions responsible for commissioning and collecting the works, and all other related documents that have been gathered over the years. As of now the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin presents the technical documentation and the comprehensive art historical data of five paintings from its important collection of Rembrandt paintings.
Dr. Katja Kleinert (research associate, history of art, Gemäldegalerie) and Claudia Laurenze-Landsberg (research associate, art technology and expert in neutron-activation autoradiographs, Gemäldegalerie) have made the documents available and provided us the technical and art historical data. The collaboration with the Berlin Gemäldegalerie will be continued for the presentation of more Rembrandt paintings on The Rembrandt Database.