The impact of new data for identification and authorship: the case of The Last Judgement, triptych from the National Museum in Gdańsk, a Northern Renaissance work, by Rogier van der Weyden and Hans Memling

The triptych The Last Judgement from the National Museum in Gdańsk is one of the most mysterious of the Flemish Renaissance works of the 15th century. Since the late 1960s, based on conservation research, art historians have known that another painting lays underneath the work. Until 2012-2014, however, identification and seeing all hidden image in detail has been impossible. There are no known historical sources making specific reference to the origin of this work. Its authorship has often been questioned. Since Hotho’s hypothesis of 1843, the painting is regularly attributed to Hans Memling. The earliest and only certain date in the history of the triptych is the 27 April 1473, the date when it was seized by pirates at sea during its transportation from the port of Bruges to Badia Fiesolana near Florence. As a Hanseatic spoil of war, the triptych passed to St. Mary’s Basilica in Gdańsk. The artwork was analysed from a number of perspectives, ranging from a humanistic enquiry to its physico-chemical properties. It was found that the triptych was painted with a multilayer tempera-oil technique on oak support. Dendrochronological work by Tomasz Ważny showed that the oak support was prepared for painting at the end of 1460. The results of these tests facilitate a fresh approach to the dating of the work and a new interpretation of its origins. A number of scientific examinations were undertaken owing to a grant from the 7th Framework Programme in 2012-2014 in collaboration with an international group of scientists in the project CHARISMA-MOLAB and ARCHLAB. The project offered an access to most advanced EU scientific instrumentations and knowledge to enhance our research, the goal of studies at ARCHLAB in the C2RMF was to confront documents and draw a comparison of the results of The Last Judgement investigations with data of other works of Rogier van der Weyden and Hans Memling.This provided a number of new results based on MNIR results concerning the several stages of the artistic process. New information confirmed the thesis of the dates 1460 – instead of 1466-1467, as expressed previously – as well as three stages in the composition and underdrawing of the work; with the priming layers probably made by Rogier van der Weyden with his collaborators. It was the norm in 15th century painting workshops, while the completion of the painting and final layers were probably the work of Hans Memling (his earliest and most important achievements in his oeuvre). The results shed light on the original proto-Renaissance pedigree of 15th century Flemish painting with its identity born in the north of Europe.Le triptyque du Jugement dernier conservé au Musée national de Gdansk est l’une des œuvres les plus mystérieuses de la première Renaissance flamande. Vers la fin des années 1960, des examens de laboratoire ont révélé la présence d’une autre peinture sous la surface. Mais il a fallu attendre 2012-2014 pour pouvoir identifier l’image cachée et en distinguer les détails. Aucun document historique connu à ce jour ne fournit d’indication sur l’origine de cette œuvre, dont l’attribution a suscité bien des controverses. L’hypothèse Hans Memling avancée en 1843 par H. G. Hotho resurgit régulièrement. La première et unique date attestée dans l’historique du triptyque est celle du 27 avril 1473, date à laquelle des pirates s’en sont emparés sur le navire qui le transportait de Bruges à Fiesole. Ce butin de guerre hanséatique a été transmis ensuite à la basilique Sainte-Marie de Gdansk. L’œuvre a fait l’objet de toutes sortes d’analyses, depuis l’enquête humaniste jusqu’à la détermination des propriétés physico-chimiques. On a découvert que la surface se composait de plusieurs couches de tempera et peinture à l’huile appliquées sur du chêne. Une étude dendrochronologique conduite par Tomasz Wazny a démontré que la préparation du support en bois remontait à la fin de l’année 1460. Ces données permettent d’envisager la date et l’origine de l’œuvre sur de nouvelles bases. Le septième programme-cadre (7e PC) de l’Union européenne a financé en 2012-2014 une série d’examens scientifiques effectués en collaboration avec un groupe international de chercheurs travaillant dans le cadre du programme européen CHARISMA MOLAB et ARCHLAB. Grâce à cet accès aux instruments scientifiques et aux savoirs les plus en pointe au niveau européen, les recherches menées au sein d’ARCHLAB au C2RMF visaient à confronter les résultats des différents examens du Jugement dernier avec les documents existants et avec nos informations sur d’autres œuvres de Rogier van der Weyden et de Hans Memling.Les résultats obtenus dans le proche et moyen infrarouge (PIR et MIR) concernant les diverses strates du triptyque ont confirmé la thèse des dates 1460-1467 au lieu de 1466-1467, et l’exécution en trois étapes, Rogier van der Weyden ayant sans doute appliqué les couches d’impression avec ses collaborateurs. C’était la norme dans les ateliers du xve siècle. Hans Memling a probablement achevé la composition et appliqué les couches finales (son apport le plus ancien et le plus important à l’histoire de la peinture). Ces résultats éclairent les origines proto-renaissantes de la peinture flamande du xve siècle, née dans le nord de l’Europe

Alert w XXI wieku. Zmiany teorii ochrony dzieł dziedzictwa w znaczeniu materialnym, niematerialnym i cyfrowym

'Alert' presents the need to extend the theory of preservation of cultural heritage in terms of not only material (tangible), but also immamaterial (intangible) and digital. In the face of changes in the contemporary world, we are faced with overwhelming changes in the heritage area that modify the mission of "preservin and share". The present situation shows the inadequacy of old conservation theories and the fragmentation of doctrines. The author presents in a clear structure possible scenarios for solving the crisis in the theory and system of protection. The new topics range from the theory of conservation of traditional disciplines through its extended recognition and documentation - to the innovative preservation of an extended area of ​​heritage, along with the paradigms of contemporary theory. Other issues relate to the need to reform existing procedures in cultural institutions. When participating in the cultural breakthrough, we should not be passive or revolutionary, but adapt the theory, projects and legislation accordingly. Being proactive requires answering basic questions: what do we protect in the face of expanding the field of cultural heritage? How to jointly (holistically) preserve the hitherto primacy of material culture and at the same time sanction the preservation of the intangible heritage? Do we recognize and respond in time to the growing importance of digitization of the symptoms of art and its emerging heritage? How to provoke optimal participation of recipients in the preservation of heritage? The answers to these questions turn out to be very important as they can be a helpful signpost of change with value analysis in two complementary categories: cultural-historical and socio-economic, which actually interpenetrate each other.‘Alert’ przedstawia potrzebę rozszerzenia teorii ochrony dziedzictwa kultury w  znaczeniu nie tylko materialnym, ale i niematerialnym oraz cyfrowym. Wobec przemian we współczesnym świecie stoimy w obliczu wszechogarniających zmian obszaru dziedzictwa, które modyfikują misję „chronić i przekazywać”. Zastana sytuacja ukazuje nieadekwatność dawnych teorii konserwatorskich i fragmentację doktryn. Autorka przedstawia w czytelnej strukturze możliwe scenariusze rozwiązania kryzysu w teorii i systemie ochrony. Nowe zagadnienia obejmują zarówno teorię konserwacji tradycyjnych dyscyplin przez jej rozszerzone rozpoznanie i  dokumentację, jak i innowacyjną ochronę rozszerzonego obszaru dziedzictwa, wraz z paradygmatami współczesnej teorii. Kolejne zagadnienia dotyczą potrzeby reformy istniejących procedur w instytucjach kulturalnych. Uczestnicząc w przełomie kulturalnym nie powinniśmy być ani bierni, ani rewolucyjni, lecz adekwatnie dostosowywać teorię, projekty i prawodawstwo. Aktywna postawa wymaga odpowiedzi na podstawowe pytania: co chronimy w obliczu rozszerzenia obrazu dziedzictwa kultur? Jak dokonać łącznego (holistycznego) zachowania dotychczasowego prymatu kultury materialnej i jednocześnie potrzebnego usankcjonowania ochrony dziedzictwa niematerialnego? Czy w porę dostrzegamy i reagujemy na rosnące znaczenie cyfryzacji objawów sztuki i powstającego jej dziedzictwa? Jak sprowokować optymalne uczestnictwo odbiorców w ochronie dziedzictwa? Odpowiedzi na te pytania okazują się bardzo ważne, bowiem mogą być pomocnym drogowskazem zmian i analizy wartościującej w dwóch uzupełniających si kategoriach: kulturalno-historycznych i społeczno-ekonomicznych, które w rzeczywistości wzajem się przenikają

Total Art Or Dichotomy? Classical And Modern Art In The Documentation And Care

Contemporary art is dichotomous - that means that it functions either within the classic art disciplines or the innovative ones, which have existed generally from the times of Marcel Duchamp. The aim of this paper is to consider an innovative, practical and theoretical framework for the documentation and conservation of the works of art created by the new generation of artists who utilise new media and integrate their works with new technologies, interactive sonic spaces, transformation of sensual processes, etc. The key issue is the conservator's thorough knowledge about the work of art. This is achieved through cooperation with artists. A conservator should play a role in the artworks' pre-acquisition and should use all of his/her knowledge, including the complexity of humanities and science, one's erudition, experience with art, sensitivity and empathy. The result is therefore an appropriate diagnosis of the object allowing the conservator to undertake the appropriate documentation method and action. The artwork shows the truth about the artist, bears the traces of the artist's personality, has traits associated not only with their sensitivity and artistic abilities but also with the creative process and the technical solutions that the artist selected. We can discover these technical methods and materials by a scientific instrumental analysis. In consequence, innovative knowledge is related to the development of artistic ideas, the concepts and models according to which a tangible and intangible heritage is taken care of, the cognition, communication and contextual aspects of art, the principles and processes involved in perception, the senses and the potential role of new media in creating new aesthetic experiences

“CESARE BRANDI (1906-1988), HIS THOUGHT AND EUROPEAN DEBATE IN THE XX CENTURY AND THE ART OF CONSERVATION-RESTORATION IN POLAND” International Conference, Warsaw, 5-6 October 2007

Conference titled “Cesare Brandi (1906-1988), His Thought and European Debate in the XX Century and the Art of Conservation-restoration in Poland” took place in Wilanów Palace on October 5-6 2007. The goal of the conference was revisiting of theory and good practice of conservation-restoration of the cultural heritage. The exhibition which attendance upon conference showed more than 100 panels connected with Cesare Brandi legacy and history and the accomplishments of 60 years of Polish training of conservators – restorers in three academic centers – in Warsaw, Cracow and Toruƒ, presented by them. Organizers of conference were Interacademy Institute for Conservation-Restoration of Works of Art, Wilanow Palace and Polish professors engaged in UE Project: “Cesare Brandi (1906-1988), His Thought And European Debate In The XX Century”. Three new books were related to conference: - “Sztuka konserwacji-restauracji / The Art of Conservation and Restoration”, ed. I. Szmelter, M. Jadzińska, contents preprints with abstracts in English; - Cesare Brandi “Teoria Restauracji”/Cesare Brandi “Theory of Restoration”, translated by M. Kijanko; - “Conservatio Creatio Aeterna Est” – reprinted act of Minister of Culture related to Preservation of Heritage from 1920, with English translation. Translated by Iwona Szmelte

New Values of Cultural Heritage and the Need for a New Paradigm Regarding its Care

The concept of cultural heritage values is a living idea. Currently, “cultural heritage” is a broader term, which includes natural and man-made legacy. Conservation and diverse museum activities have a fundamental practical side, which must be realised in conjunction with theoretical constructs. The complex care of cultural heritage in the field of visual arts involves a set of new values, stories, ideas, traditions, symbols, attitudes, and accomplishments. The new role of the conservator-restorer acting as an “advocate” of the intrinsic values and well-being of a given object in tangible and/or intangible heritage is affirmed as that of an “orchestrator” of conservation process. Valuation plays a crucial role in recognition, strategic decision-making, and in complex negotiations devoted to the care of cultural heritage, which can often be very difficult in theory and also in conservation practice.  We now understand that the protection and management of cultural heritage resources are a way of ensuring their maximum possible vitality, values and functions to the benefit of current and future generations, attributing them an important role in a sustainable social system

/ Elements Of The New Theory Of The Conservation Of The Heritage Of Visual Art. Necessity For The Protection Of Atypical Old And Contemporary Art

ELEMENTS OF THE NEW THEORY OF THE CONSERVATION OF THE HERITAGE OF VISUAL ART, THE NECESSITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ATYPICAL OLD AND CONTEMPORARY ART As a result of recent experience and international cooperation, it has become clear that for the taking of responsible and effective conservation decisions, it is necessary to modify the doctrines of conservation that had been created for the traditional heritage of art, to release them from the traditional restraints. The elements of the new theory include proposals for extended principles of research on the diverse heritage of visual art, the manner of conducting safe preservation and management, the dissemination of the results, as well as the social issues involved and the contribution of art to sustainable development. Due to this, it is possible to flexibly adapt these activities to suit the needs of atypical art from the past as well as that from contemporary times. The thesis of this study concerns the need to re-orientate the philosophy and attitudes towards conservation in the direction of the maintenance of the continuity of visual art. The goal of the initiative is to present a contribution to the creation of the new theory of conservation of this type of art, and define the new obligations of the curator of atypical old and modern art and contemporary art. According to the author, the effective care of this art requires three separate paths of activity. Conservation includes: first of all defining a philosophy of the conservation of the whole complex of material and immaterial values of the art, secondly defining the principles that form the basis of the new conservation theory, and thirdly determining suitable conservation methods, including the necessity to conduct scientific documentation and its archivisation. Along with the birth of electronic media, video art and the Internet, the autonomy of artistic projects, programming, the importance of duplication and multiple visualizations, the current crisis of concepts that have traditionally been the determinants of the value of a work of art (such as originality, authenticity, uniqueness) require a re-examination. Art of this type is expressed not only by the material and the object, or the object together with the intellectual context, but it can have a virtual body and be reproduced, or exhibited in the so-called synthesis of arts (German: Gesamtkunstwerk). In this framework, the analysis of the work and recognition of its values becomes a separate, time-consuming research project in which the synergy of multidisciplinary analyses plays a large role. They consist of humanistic studies, searching for the context of the creation of a work, technical analysis of the materials, obtaining so-called first-hand information, such as through an authorized interview with the artist (or his co-workers). It is important to include all data in the so-called the conservation registration of an artistic work (extended ‘object ID’). This comprises a source of knowledge about the object, the original idea and message of the author, the materials used and their meaning for the work, as well as guidelines for future conservation-restoration, mounting and display in exhibitions, as well as guidelines concerning storage and transport. The principles of the preservation of the visual arts include indications, wider than before, concerning the responsibilities of the conservator as an advocate not only of the well-being of the work, but also the rights of its author. The preservation process may take a number of forms, starting from the so-called ‘preservation through documentation’ of art objects where their intrinsic ephemerality is the goal of the author of the work, through active conservation with elements of restoration (depending on the type of work involved), and various forms reconstruction or re-enactment. The latter cease to be the subject of a ‘taboo’ among the conservation community as long as they respect the integrity and copyright of the work. The new conceptual framework of conservation has to ensure the timeliness and adequacy of the means adopted for the preservation of the heritage of visual art with regard to current needs and the development of culture

PRESERVATION OF THE WORLD'S PHOTOGRAPH HERITAGE: CHALLENGES FOR THE 21st CENTURY

Conference related to these issues was held on 4th of October 2007 by Getty Conservation Institute in cooperation with Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art connected with Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The place of conference was in Wilanow Palace. During the meeting of more than 200 people was a lecture of prof.dr Dusan Stulik from GCI and the discussion. The goal of conference was the inauguration of international cooperation in this field and establishing of training program in central, south and eastern Europe in theory and practice. Coordination of Polish part of this project will make Izabela Zając from Warsaw’s Faculty. Working with the most important photographs of the “chemical photography era” such as the world’s First Photograph from 1826, the mysterious Hillotype photographs from the 1850’s which represented the first attempt to create photographs in colors, and studying the most beautiful photographs in some of the world’s most important photographic collections, scientists of the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angels are developing a scientifically based methodology for identification of more then 150 different photographic processes and process variants that were invented, introduced and often abandoned during now 181 year old “chemical photography era”. The overall project strategy and its many innovative aspects was also introduced. Transl. by Iwona Szmelter, Dusan Stuli

Współczesne wartościowanie sztuk wizualnych. Przyszłość sztuki?

Contemporary Valuation In Visual Art. The Future of Art? The modern understanding of the values of cultural heritage has a wide scope. It extends from natural heritage, through culture (including the value of tangible and intangible heritage as well as digital heritage). The purpose of this article is to present the system of values for modern and contemporary visual art and the current state of conservation-restoration theory concerning this valuation, with regard to its contemporary setting in terms of changes in the way we evaluate artwork. This includes the historical conditions, the relationship with philosophical and behavioural concepts and also the socio-economic role of such objects of heritage. This dissertation refers to changes in attitudes over time to the care of heritage and the influence of the classic theory of conservation of the eighteenth century on the latest understanding of cultural heritage. Thus, the modern theory of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage is attempting to keep up with these changing trends and this involves many new and complex methodological issues, for example the RCE Dutch model. Among them is the basis of the author’s valuation of visual art legacy within the theory of the care of cultural heritage. Synergy is necessary at every stage of the research and the identification of the artwork. The process of collecting, care and conservation of modern and contemporary art begins with the recognition of its values, which includes identifying the values of each individual object which should be properly defined at the outset1. 1 This paper is based on the SMART Values Project by the Joint Programming Innitiative- Cultural Heritage-EU, for more, see http://www.heritageportal.eu/Browse-Topics/GUIDELINESSTANDARDS/ Factsheet-7-SMARTValue-Values-and-valuation-as-key-factors-in-protectionconservation- and-contemporary-use-of-heritage

Phenomena of the social role of art and democratization - from the dawn of culture to Kantor and Abakanowicz. Perception, care and protection

Art is not a collection of objects but a form of human activity with great social impact. It is in constant process with the next audiences and their successive generations. Based on Gadamer’s hermeneutic circle it can be interpreted as an action in the democratic sense, a kind of game. The following principal case study is analyzed: Tadeusz Kantor (1915-1990), an excellent painter and interdisciplinary creator organized a programme of conceptual art called Multipart (multiplication and participation). The first exhibition in the series was held in the Foksal Gallery in Warsaw on February 21st 1970 as an "exhibition of one image in 40 copies". Numbered copies of a single picture, entitled Parapluie-emballage, were made according to the artist's instructions. A big broken umbrella, (at that time an symbol associated with the art of Kantor) was glued onto canvas on a stretcher measuring 110cm × 120cm and everything was painted white. At the launch of the exhibition, all the pictures were sold for a symbolic price. Buyers had to sign a contract with Kantor, according to which they could add to the image: "Insults, expressions of approval, praise, sympathy, swear words, (...) erasures, deletions, drawings (...) changes to the image according to their own tastes (...) pierce it, burn it (...) sell, buy, speculate, steal it". The important thing was that the buyers were obliged to re-exhibit the works in the Foksal Gallery after a year of such treatment. Thus, on 20 February 1971, a second exhibition of works by Kantor was held, Multipart 2. This presented the year-old participatory works parapluie-emballage and there were surprising forms of ‘participation’. One unique form of ‘participation-democratisation’ included in the programme Multipart, was the picture which was bought by the “Zuzanna group”. They sowed cress seeds on the image, then treated it as a dish at banquets. Moreover the picture that they had bought was used as a banner in the May 1st communist parade in 1970, where students chanted ‘Kantor’ instead of ‘Lenin’, which was then risky. The event was immortalized in the artistic film Multipart by Christopher Kubicki and Mark Młodecki, which was shown during the exhibition at the Foksal Gallery in 1971. Kantor was positively surprised by the democratisation of his project. This was not the end of the participation of owners. After the exhibition the picture was officially buried in the earth along with a ‘procession’ to the accompaniment of string instruments. After 44 years, at the request of a group of architect-owners, on the 18th of May 2015 conservators undertook the careful exhumation of the object under the title Multipart in process. The remains were removed from the ground and conserved, making reference to documentation of its state before burial and was reassembled on a mount. Very important is the sense of Multipart. Kantor, by departing from his personal creation of the works, questioned and redefined the very concept of a work of art, traditionally treated as the creation of specific authors, the effect of the artist's work. In this case, the idea of these works was his and he created and presented their concept and their technical description. Denying the uniqueness of works of art, at the same time Kantor challenged the position of museums, galleries and collectors – directly to democracy in art. The action Multipart is one of the best-known projects organized by Kantor. It opened a new chapter in thinking about art in the world and in Poland. Paradoxically the Multipart continues (!) as does interest in it among collectors and museums. Due to the unusual character of the work and the need of dissemination, the arrangement of the 'learning zone' explains the conceptual design of Kantor and presents his ideas and their consequences in terms of the fate of an object called Multipart in process. Other case studies are devoted to the spectrum of time, starting from a democratic sense of paleolithic art as well as from the contemporary sense of Magdalena Abakanowicz’s art in public space. The phenomena of art, which consists in its constant inclusion and conservation, allows various forms of social roles to be presented and preserved. Finally, the idea of democracy is based on a paradoxical antinomy: ‘art in process - process in art’. It also requires maintenance for subsequent generations, protection, conservation and sometimes reconstruction

Wprowadzenie. Sztuka W Procesie O Nieznośnej Lekkości Bytu? Ochrona, Konserwacja I Restauracja Dzieł Sztuki Współczesnej

Introduction. Art In Process On The Unbearable Lightness Of Being? Preservation, Conservation And Restoration Of Works Of Contemporary Ar