Under the microscope

The National Gallery is known for its elegant rooms hung with beautiful paintings. But did you know it also has a Scientific Department? Behind the scenes in the Trafalgar Square building, there's a laboratory. But this isn’t just any science laboratory – it is at the National Gallery, after all.

In 1934 a physicist was employed by the Gallery and the Scientific Department was established. A chemical laboratory was also later set up, in 1948, by some of the Gallery’s pioneering scientists. Over the years, it has been used to research paint pigments, materials and techniques. Our scientists undertake technical examination of paintings to discover more about how they were made. Let's look back at some of the people who have brought the science of art to the Gallery.

Research in wartime

During the Second World War, the National Gallery safely stored its paintings at Manod quarry in Wales. The works of art were kept underground for four years during the war, where environmental conditions were carefully monitored.

A separate conservation studio was built at the quarry and after the war, the Gallery held an exhibition to showcase recently restored works of art. Despite being very popular, the exhibition attracted criticism from some people. In response, the Gallery commissioned an independent report to review how the paintings had been cleaned and restored. It justified the Gallery’s methods but suggested that the Gallery hire a research chemist.

The beginnings of the laboratory

The origins of the Gallery’s Scientific Department began with the appointment of the physicist Ian Rawlins as Scientific Advisor in the early 1930s. In 1948, Dr Anthony Werner joined the team as the first research chemist. Together, they were to investigate the cleaning of the paintings and the National Gallery's chemistry laboratory was set up.

New discoveries

Over time, the small Scientific Department expanded. In 1949, Joyce Plesters joined the team as a Scientific Assistant. Plesters was only 22 years old and had recently finished studying Chemistry at university. She began by assisting with X-radiography of paintings to examine their structure and hidden layers, but it is for her work on the examination of paint cross-sections that she is most recognised today.

Drawing on her background in chemistry, Plesters used a microscope to look at paint samples. She could identify tiny pigment particles that were otherwise invisible to the human eye. This allowed her to differentiate between the original paint and paint added later for restoration. This level of detail was extremely helpful to conservators. They could now clean and restore paintings in the collection, supported by scientific evidence, in a way that had not been possible before.

This work also gave other insights into the materials and technique used by artists and also the influence of any paint degradation that may have affected a painting’s appearance.

Plesters, Rawlins, Werner and many other scientists have worked in the department over the years. The team's research into pigments, materials and techniques continues to be used today by scientists, conservators, curators and art historians, both at the Gallery and beyond its walls.