Technical and authenticity studies
About
The Technical & Authenticity Studies group conducts interdisciplinary research on materials, ageing characteristics, and novel conservation techniques for the analysis of cultural heritage. Our focus areas include polymers, colorants, modern paints, metals, and authenticity issues. We employ minimally invasive analytical methods into materials, their identification, manufacture, and degradation, to inform their preservation. The group collaborates with scientists, historians, and other disciplines to ensure robust characterization of cultural heritage materials. Our work bridges technical studies with legal, ethical, and authentication aspects, providing a comprehensive approach to preserving and interpreting cultural heritage.
Projects
Middle Eastern manuscripts
In 1959 Middle Eastern scholar Professor John Bowman (1916-2006) arrived at the University of Melbourne and began to expand the Department of Semitic Studies. He established two journals Abr-Nahrain (now Ancient near Eastern Studies) and Milla waMilla: the Australian Bulletin of Comparative Religion and built a department of scholars from Australia, England, Finland, Iran, Pakistan and Syria. One of his most significant legacies however was the collection of Middle Eastern manuscripts, now held in the Rare Books Collection in the University of Melbourne Library.
Sidney Nolan
One of Australia’s most iconic artistic series, six of Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings, was examined using advanced imaging technologies, in a new collaborative project featuring Dr Paula Dredge, paintings conservator at the Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation. The project brought together the Canberra Museum and Gallery, Sydney Analytical at the University of Sydney, Celia Cramer Conservation, and Dr Dredge. The team used cutting-edge equipment, including an infrared reflectography camera and a portable X-ray fluorescence instrument, to probe beneath the visible paint layers.
Magna Carta
In 2016 Grimwade Conservation Services entered into a contract with the Department of Parliamentary Services, Commonwealth of Australia to undertake the conservation treatment and rehousing for display of the 1297 Inspeximus Issue of Magna Carta in the collection of Parliament House Australia.
Polymuse
Funded by the Australian Research Council, the PolyMuse research group brought together a national pool of museum professionals and scientists to discover methods for predicting and increasing the lifespan of at-risk malignant plastics in collections by studying their identification, deterioration and conservation. Guidelines provided by this research will benefit the most vulnerable group of materials in Australian cultural collections for future generations.
Blaeu Map
The complexities of the project and the resulting treatment methodology was shared via a public lecture and published articles. The project won the national 2022 AICCM Conservation Treatment of the Year award.
