Red Becomes Black

Interdisciplinary conference organised by the Hornemann Institute of the HAWK in Hildesheim on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, in cooperation with the Conservation/Restoration Work Group of ICOMOS and the Association of Restorers

9 November 2023 | HAWK in Hildesheim, Auditorium, Hohnsen 2

Conference Topic

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Hornemann Institute, together with the Conservation/Restoration Working Group of ICOMOS and the Association of Restorers, organised an interdisciplinary conference on chemically and physically induced pigment changes in paintings and settings. The subject is of great importance to all those working with historical art and cultural heritage, and therefore to the practice of conservation, because pigment changes can fundamentally alter the original colour effect of a painting or mounting, and thus massively affect the artistic message. For example, the pigment red lead can change to lead oxide, turning formerly bright red areas brown or black. In extreme cases, pigment changes can lead to fading or almost complete loss of colour. How do conservators deal with this problem? Reconversion is only possible in very rare cases and is ethically questionable.

Focus

The restoration courses at the HAWK, with their Bachelor and Master of Science degrees, focus on material science analysis and the restorative treatment of changes. Bonding agents and coatings must be considered, as they are often inseparable from pigment transformations and altered colour effects. Metallic coatings used in painting and in the mounting of sculptures should also be included, as they play an important role in the interaction with the paint layer and the paint mount. Another practical aspect was the viewer's perception of pigment changes, since brown or black spots, for example, caused by the transformation of cinnabar, red lead or white lead, are perceived as disturbing changes.

The conference had been followed by a ceremony to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hornemann Institute with music and "Best of Hornemann Institute... companions tell their stories".

Conference Topic and Hornemann Institute

The theme was ideally suited to the Hornemann Institute's 25th anniversary celebrations, as the Institute has always strived to promote interdisciplinary research and conservation through conservation science, art history, engineering and the natural sciences. Analogous to the range of topics of the Institute's e-publishing and online courses, as many disciplines of conservation as possible were included in the conference.

All lectures were in German. Simultaneous translation could not be financed.

 

Supported from the funds of zukunft.niedersachsen