Creation of an open forum for debate and discussion on 'Making Art in Tudor Britain'

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Context of the research: The National Portrait Gallery holds the largest public collection of Tudor and Jacobean painting in the world. This collection is one of the most significant resources for the understanding of visual culture in the English Renaissance. Research in this field has frequently focused upon the identification of authorship or sitters and the circumstances of production of individual images. More general, fundamental questions about the categorisation of art, workshop practices, patterns of patronage, the demand for different types of imagery across the period, and the relationship of the native school with foreign émigré artists remain largely unanswered.From April 2007 we are launching a new research project entitled 'Making Art in Tudor Britain'. Using scientific techniques such as x-ray, dendrochronolgy, infra-red reflectography, paint sampling and microscopic analysis, we will undertake a comprehensive study of more than ninety paintings from the period 1500 - 1620, principally from Gallery's collection but also using comparative examples from other collections. Based in the Gallery's Conservation Studio, three researchers (the principal investigator and two conservators) will focus on around 25 paintings per year in chronological order. The results of this project will unlock a significant body of new primary evidence that will help to transform understanding of Tudor and Jacobean portraiture and artistic practice in this period. During the first year of this project we plan to host a series of workshops to share our initial research findings, broaden debate about the interpretation of technical analysis on works of art, and develop a forum to explore new strategies of interpretation in this field. The Gallery plans to work collaboratively with conservators, conservation and material scientists, historians and art historians to widen understanding, and inspire more interdisciplinary research in this area. The first year of this five-year project has attracted short term funding from charitable trusts. However, a project of this scale requires significant funding outside the reach of the Gallery's current support and we intend to apply to the AHRC for a research grant for this project in 2008 to support the remaining years of work. Aims and objectives:Our aim is to stage three interdisciplinary workshops over a six-month period to establish debate on our initial methodology, develop networks of support, share and exchange new research, and initiate additional research.Visiting specialists from the UK, France, Canada and the Netherlands will contribute to these seminars. Economic, social and art historians will also attend and consider parallels with other areas of artistic production, practice, patronage and consumption.Potential applications and benefits:How we interpret our findings will be critical. The results of this groundbreaking work will be presented through seminars and case studies on the Gallery's website together with public lectures. Presentation notes from the workshops will be made available to the wider research community and the general public via the Gallery's website. The workshops will also provide important supporting material for a small in-focus display at the National Portrait Gallery of our initial research findings and interpretation. The PI will also produce an article on the research findings and a summary of workshops in a peer reviewed journal. A key benefit of the workshops will be to identify a body of scientists, painting conservators, historians, art historians and other academics to provide interpretative support to the project team throughout the course of the five-year project. Subject to further funding, the project will continue for a further four years and towards the end of this period there will be a significant exhibition at the Gallery and a multi-author publication on Tudor and jacobean artistic practice.