Uta Kornmeier: Das Geheimnis der Bilder. Röntgendurchleuchtungen von Gemälden

Lecture at the exhibition Geheimnis. Ein gesellschaftliches Phänomen [Mystery. A social phenomenon] (12 Oct 2018–10 Mar 2019) in the Museum für Kommunikation Berlin

At the beginning of the 20th century, art historians and restorers were given a fascinating new tool for analysing paintings: X-rays. These x-rays were used to reveal signatures, overpaintings or damage that could not be seen on the surface. On the basis of some examples, the lecture examines which secrets could be unveiled by the X-rays, for instance the working method of the artist, changes in content or even evidence that the artwork in question is a forgery.

This lecture is free of charge.