Behind the Layers: Authenticating the Stories of Paintings now open

A conservator is rubbing layers of dirt off a colonial-era portrait

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is excited to give visitors a look behind the scenes at the hard work that goes into displaying artworks in new exhibition Behind the Layers: Authenticating the Stories of Paintings.

On show from 9 March until 31 April in the Salon Gallery, the exhibition has been developed by TMAG’s conservation team and showcases recent treatments they have undertaken on a selection of 19th century oil paintings and their frames from the TMAG Collection.

These are paintings about which there had previously been some unresolved questions, such as who painted them, when and even who was featured in them.

Senior Painting Conservator Jenny O’Connell said Behind the Layers shows how the conservators have been able to solve these mysteries through their work.

“There are examples of portraits that have been attributed to different artists, and through the conservation process we have been able to discover more about who painted them by looking for clues – as many colonial portraits were not signed,” Jenny said.

“Conservators often do this by examining the materials and techniques of the artist.

“Some of the research presented in the exhibition shows how we have been able to look behind the layers of paint using infrared and ultraviolet photography to discover the artist’s techniques.

“We have uncovered old restorations that had previously been undertaken on the paintings, such as details added to clothes.

“We have also followed clues such as the fabric in a dress, the type of pigment used, or the details on a framer’s label to help accurately date the paintings.

“Excitingly, in one portrait, we were able to uncover the identity of the sitter.”

In the exhibition, visitors will be able to see the paintings that have been researched and restored, as well as some of the equipment used by the conservators in their work.

The highlight of the exhibition, however, will be the four specially commissioned films that explain and demonstrate the process of painting and frame conservation, providing the all-important back story to the paintings than can be seen on the wall.

Visitors who can’t make it to the exhibition in person will be able to view the films on the TMAG website to learn more about the process of painting conservation.

TMAG Director Mary Mulcahy said Behind the Layers would give visitors the chance to look behind the scenes at the work that goes into developing a visual arts exhibition.

“Many visitors would not realise the painstaking process that goes into preparing artworks for display, and perhaps they would also not know much about the work that painting conservators and framing technicians undertake,” Mary said.

“This is a great opportunity for us to highlight the work of our staff, and to demonstrate that much more happens at a museum and art gallery than the displays people can see on our walls when they come to visit.

“I’d also like to thank the Keith Clarke Foundation for supporting conservation work at TMAG and for making the exhibition possible.”

Behind the Layers: Authenticating the Stories of Paintings is on show at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery from 9 March until 30 April 2023.