Speaker
Ms
Sara Creange
(Rijksmuseum)
Description
A group of four South- and Southeast Asian bronze religious statues in the collection of the Rijksmuseum were subjected to white beam neutron tomography and energy selective scans at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (2016) and are proposed for further tomography-guided neutron diffraction studies at ENGIN-X (projected 2018). Neutron techniques are well-suited for this study group, because of the ease of penetration of neutrons in large bronzes, and because the different attenuation coefficient of the various phases is advantageous for locating corrosion, core and restoration materials. The four bronzes under study embody a variety of questions related to conservation and technical art history. Neutron tomography was undertaken to investigate corrosion of iron armatures and bronze, crack systems, repairs and separately cast elements and casting methods including orientation and gating system. The tomographic reconstructions provided significant insights regarding the sculptures and their fabrication. Where questions remain, a number of other non-destructive (or micro-destructive) analytical techniques can be used to clarify and supplement the results. The complexity of the tomographic images and the related information from other analyses and imaging methods prompts reflection on the process of generating and presenting complex data, first within an interdisciplinary research team and subsequently to a broader public. Therefore preliminary results of the neutron investigations the four statues will be briefly presented here, along with a new method being developed at the Rijksmuseum for integrating neutron tomography images with other layers of information generated from a variety of sources including visual light photography, 3D scans, x-radiography and x-ray fluorescence. The aim is to create an intuitive, engaging, web-based interactive viewer for clear presentation of complex data sets related to each sculpture.
Primary author
Ms
Sara Creange
(Rijksmuseum)
Co-authors
Mr
Francesco Cantini
(Conservation of Cultural Heritage Program, University of Florence)
Dr
Francesco Grazzi
(Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche)
Dr
Nikolay Kardjilov
(Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)
Dr
Robert Erdmann
(Rijksmuseum, University of Amsterdam, Radboud University Nijmegen)
