Following our Workshop on Dress and Jewellery for the Unwrapping an Icon project at the Victoria and Albert Museum in February 2018, in this post we’d like to share a few of the comparative examples of textiles in the V&A collections that we examined during the event. Fig. A. The Lady’s fine, translucent veil with … Continue reading Comparative Textiles from the Victoria and Albert Museum Collections
WORKSHOP ON DRESS AND JEWELLERY, VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
The dress and jewellery represented in the Lady in a Fur Wrap portrait may provide invaluable clues as to the status and identity of the sitter and the dating of the portrait, yet the combination of elements remains puzzling. Over the years, scholars have commented on a number of aspects of the dress and jewellery … Continue reading WORKSHOP ON DRESS AND JEWELLERY, VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
Visit to Banco Santander Collection
Our recent visit to the Banco Santander Collection, Madrid also provided much food for thought – with specific reference to the portrait of Doña Juana de Mendoza and a Dwarf there. As a result of our visit and our meeting with the Curator, María Beguiristain and Board members Paloma Botín and Belén Fernández, our further … Continue reading Visit to Banco Santander Collection
Visit to the Prado Museum
Our project Unwrapping an Icon has now entered its second year, during which we will be seeking to deepen our knowledge of the Lady in a Fur Wrap and related sixteenth-century portraits in the Stirling Maxwell Collection and widen our understanding of their context. We continue to draw on our invaluable learning experiences during our … Continue reading Visit to the Prado Museum
Unwrapping an Icon at the First Colloquium for Researchers in Textiles and Fashion, Terrassa
Our project was also being talked about last month in Terrassa, a former textile town outside Barcelona. Lesley Miller (Professor of Dress History, University of Glasgow, and Senior Curator, Victoria & Albert Museum), one of our team members, gave the opening paper at the First Colloquium for Researchers in Textiles and Fashion organised by … Continue reading Unwrapping an Icon at the First Colloquium for Researchers in Textiles and Fashion, Terrassa
Research Trip to Madrid, November 2017
Our recent research trip to Madrid was a major event in the project so far, thanks to funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Pippa Stephenson (Curator of European Art, Glasgow Museums), Mark Richter (Technical Art Historian, University of Glasgow) and I were able to benefit from a one-day workshop with our colleagues at the … Continue reading Research Trip to Madrid, November 2017
Unwrapping an Icon: What are the other paintings we’re looking at?
This month, we share a couple of photos of our recent study session of the X-ray of one of the comparative paintings we’re studying on the project. And we also explain a bit about these related portraits and why we’re including them as part of project. What are the other paintings we’re looking at? … Continue reading Unwrapping an Icon: What are the other paintings we’re looking at?
Looking at the X-Rays
Preliminary investigative work has begun into the X-rays of the paintings. Acetates of the x-rays have been produced, which, when placed on a light wall, show clearer and less grainy images compared with digital ones. On October 27th, Mark Richter, Hilary Macartney and Pippa Stephenson spent time examining the X-ray of Philip II, King of … Continue reading Looking at the X-Rays
Royal Society of Edinburgh Annual Awards Ceremony, 11th September
Our project highlights in the past month included attending the Royal Society of Edinburgh Annual Awards Ceremony on 11 September. RSE are one of our main funders, along with Santander Universities. Their award has enabled us to set up our Research Network with Glasgow Museums and National Trust for Scotland. We unveiled our Unwrapping an … Continue reading Royal Society of Edinburgh Annual Awards Ceremony, 11th September
Interview with Dr Mark Richter, Part Two
Our latest post includes the second part of Rosie Thorp’s interview with Mark Richter on the scientific investigation currently under way on five Spanish portraits in the Stirling Maxwell Collection for comparison with the Lady in a Fur Wrap for our Unwrapping an Icon project. They discuss methods and equipment used for examination. Once again, … Continue reading Interview with Dr Mark Richter, Part Two