Technical history

Technical history (or technical art history - in the context of art historical studies) broadly aims to bring together scientific analysis, historical perspectives - economic, technological, visual - and documentary evidence.

Together this multi-faceted approach seeks to investigate when material artefacts were made, and how they were used in order to establish synchronicities and revise existing narratives. At its best technical history brings together the study of the physical object and the records of its reception so that we can gain an understanding of historical purpose and meaning of the material artefact.

Projects

Technical history of Domesday (2006-08)

In collaboration with Cardiff University Biophysics Group, School of Conservation, Denmark, and European Synchrotron Facility, France, we are seeking to understand outstanding questions about the making and meaning of Domesday Book, one of the UK´s national treasures. The results of this project will help us to assess current preservation standards and enhance our historical understanding of this iconic manuscript.

War artists: a technical examination

We are committed to exploiting the potential of scientific analysis to explore the synergies between documentary evidence and an object itself. We are currently examining works of art created by War artists commissioned by the Ministry of Information (1939-1946) in order to enhance our knowledge of that part of our collection.