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The Conservation Centre in Liverpool is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of items of cultural significance, using a combination of traditional and modern techniques. The exhibition, Henry VIII Revealed, is based on the examination of several Henry VIII portraits, including Walker Art Gallery’s own magnificent painting. Walker Art Gallery’s version is one of the best-known images of the king, but when, how and by whom it was painted has been very much open to speculation. It is the combined task of the art historian, conservator and scientific specialist to try and find some answers. Processes and discoveries are recorded using different kinds of photography, before, during and after treatment. Investigations begin with a thorough examination of the structure and surface of the paintings using ‘non-destructive’ methods. These include using special types of light, such as infrared and ultraviolet, to reveal different features of the paintings. In this case, the technique of infra-red reflectography allowed experts to compare the underdrawings for each of the Henry portraits. Research also includes analysis of materials, such as pigments in the paint. Information about the paint layers is used to inform decisions about aspects of conservation treatment such as cleaning, removal of discoloured varnish and restoration. Tiny samples or ‘cross sections’ are taken from the paint and varnish. Once mounted in a clear synthetic resin, the layers are visible in cross-section using a microscope with high magnification.
In some cases, previous restoration can obscure or complicate the interpretation and examination of an image. Layers of varnish that have yellowed with age can distort the appearance of paint colours. Sometimes, conservators find that areas have been repainted to cover damage or change the appearance of a picture. For instance, the red of the gown in Walker Art Gallery’s Henry was fairly extensively repainted. The desire to reveal as much as possible of the original paint is a relatively new concept in conservation practice. The investigation of the Henry paintings also included an analysis of the wood panels they were executed on using a technique called dendrochronology or tree-ring dating. This involves dating wood by measuring the thickness of the growth rings across the grain of the sequence of ring widths. The sequence of ring widths is then compared with wood samples of known dates for particular species and geographical area. All four of the portraits in the exhibition (from Walker Art Gallery, Petworth, Chatsworth and Trinity College) were painted on oak from the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Henry VIII Revealed | Holbein's Henry VIII | The Whitehall mural | Court & politics | Walker Art Gallery's Henry | Other Holbeins | Background | Conserving Henry | Key findings | Links |
