What Lies Beneath
The Science of Spectral Photography Applied to Paintings from the Permanent Collections
March 26–June 9, 2024
Forsyth Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 2428
Recently, the Forsyth took the opportunity to use spectral photography—including Ultra-Violet Florescence, Infrared, and Ultra-Violet Reflectance—to learn more about what is going on below the surface of a select group of paintings in the collection.
Infrared imaging is a non-destructive technique used by art conservators to examine paintings and artworks and detect hidden details under the upper layers such as added paint, underdrawings, and hidden signatures or watermarks. The technique has been used to discover details of artists’ creative processes, alterations and reworking. Infrared examination also can be used as a tool to differentiate between certain groups of pigments and inks. Recently, the Forsyth took the opportunity to use spectral photography—including Ultra-Violet Florescence, Infrared, and Ultra-Violet Reflectance—to learn more about what is going on below the surface of a select group of paintings in the collection, including works by Mary Cassatt, Julian Onderdonk, and Thomas Moran.
Inside the Exhibition
