Scientific results are worth little without context: the various aspects of how artists worked, what materials they used, when materials were available, where they were trained etc. provides the essential context to turn analytical data into meaningful information for our clients. At ArtDiscovery, our team knows the importance of getting both right. By integrating knowledge of conservation, art examination, art history and the history of art technology we are able to combine our results with a broad understanding of the technical literature to provide in-depth insight into the working practice of individual artists.
Artist Research
The Josef & Anni Albers Foundation
Our findings provided new and deeper insights into the development of Albers’ working practice and, conversely, into the methods and materials used by forgers attempting to create copies of his paintings. This fruitful collaboration was a pleasure for us; it was an honour to be able to help the foundation to better understand and protect the artist’s legacy. The evidence provided will also create a greater sense of confidence in the commercial art market and allow the Foundation to defend the integrity of Albers’ work more effectively.
Russian Avant-Garde Project
Natalia Goncharova and Mikhail Larionov are hugely important figures in the Russian avant-garde movement and thanks to ArtDiscovery’s examination of all their works in the collection of Museum Ludwig, new standards for interdisciplinary research were set. This collaboration was successful in not only establishing a dialogue on how archival material, art historical research and art technology can all be used as integrated tools, but also resulted in new findings in the paintings studied as well as enriching the scholarship of these important artists.