Design a Museum Display
For this project, you'll set up a museum display that conveys how spectra are used in art conservation.Science of Art Conservation
Light, color, and spectra are important components of art conservation work done at museums. By investigating how paint pigments reflect light at different wavelengths, art conservators can learn what materials are used in a painting and make decisions about how to best care for and restore the artwork.
Video. Watch this video that shows how imaging scientist Keats Webb and conservation scientist Matthew Clarke use light, color, and spectra to better understand paintings at the Smithsonian Institution.
Spectrum Notebook. Answer these questions after watching the video:
- Describe 2 techniques that allow conservation scientists to determine what pigments were used in a painting.
- What can conservation scientists learn about a painting from knowing what pigments were used in it?