Using medical devices to diagnose the ʻhealthʼ of Daliʼs artworks
European scientists and conservators, led by a research group from the University of Barcelona, examined twelve paintings by Salvador Dalí using a new non-invasive technique to diagnose a painting canvas from the back, without disturbing a single fibre. This technique determines if artworks can withstand the stress of handling and travel.
European scientists and conservators, led by a research group from the University of Barcelona, examined twelve paintings by Salvador Dalí using a new non-invasive technique to diagnose a painting canvas from the back, without disturbing a single fibre. This technique determines if artworks can withstand the stress of handling and travel.
The research, published on the scientific journal Analytical Methods, is part of Marta Oriolaʼs PhD thesis, supervised by Professor Gema Campo. Marta Oriola is adjunct lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the UB.
The method development was carried out in unique collaboration among researchers and conservators from the Department of Conservation of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the UB, the Centre for Sustainable Heritage of University College London (UCL), the Department of Conservation of Gala - Salvador Dalí Foundation, the University of Ljubljana, the University of Londonʼs BirkbeckCollege, and the British Library.
A new way to assess the ʻhealthʼ of artworks
The twelve works examined belong to the collection of Gala - Salvador Dalí Foundation, in Figueras (Girona, Spain). Chronologically, they date between 1924 and 1968; they pertain to different artistic stages of the painter. Barcelona Mannequin (1926), The Image Disappears (1938) and Dematerialization Near the Nose of Nero (1947) are some of them.
All twelve were shown to be in a good condition and can continue to be enjoyed safely. However, there was evidence of the early canvases approaching the threshold for safe travel. Interestingly, it was also shown that these same canvases were made of inexpensive low-quality cotton, used by the young Dalí.
Marta Oriola explains: “The method finally gives conservators the possibility to non-invasively evaluate the brittleness of a canvas; previously, it was impossible. Also, we can now quickly assess what fibres the canvas is made of, which is important when designing a conservation treatment”.
The research assesses the ʻhealthʼ of the canvases, which are known to degrade with time due to acidity and environmental conditions. Once a canvas is brittle, expensive and invasive conservation is required.
“While distressed paint layers can be evaluated visually from the front, there has been no method available so far to evaluate the fragility of canvas without actually cutting off a piece of it, which is certainly unacceptable”, states Irene Civil, head of the Conservation Department of Gala - Salvador Dalí Foundation. The Foundation greets in excess of 1.5 million visitors annually, and relies on visitor income to take proper care of the invaluable artworks, some of which may also travel to exhibitions.
Dr Matija Strlic, senior lecturer from UCLʼs Centre for Sustainable Heritage, has been supervising the methodʼs development. He stresses: “As in medical diagnostics, only close interdisciplinary collaboration between curators, conservators and researchers can lead to truly useful development. The non-invasive canvas health check can now improve the standard of management and care in any gallery or museum”.