YUAG conservators and IPCH scientist to participate in panel discussion Sept 24, 2015, 12:00pm

September 18, 2015

The current exhibition at the Whitney Humanities Center, “Painting in Time: Discovery, Analysis, and Interpretation of a Roman Shield from Dura-Europos”, highlights the history of Yale’s excavation of the ancient Roman site, Dura-Europos. Particular focus of this exhibition is the intersection of humanities and sciences during the technical examination of a rare object: a Roman 3rd century, painted wooden shield. Anne Turner Gunnison, Assistant Conservator of Objects, Irma Passeri, Associate Conservator of Paintings at Yale University Art Gallery, and Dr. Erin R. Mysak Associate Conservation Scientist at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage will be giving a public lecture entitled, “Gallery Talk: Material Analysis of Ancient Objects”. The talk will focus on the collaborative analysis of the object, which has improved our understanding of the function of the shield, its method of manufacture, and the materials used to create it.

The lecture will take place Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 12:00-1:00pm.

53 Wall St., room 108, New Haven, CT 06511

All are welcome to attend.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is an elemental analysis technique that can be performed directly on the surface of the shield without contact.

A detail of the infrared reflectography image. This imaging technique exposes details of the painted surface that are difficult to visualize with light.