Students across disciplines gathered in room LC 28 of the Drew University Library to welcome Dr. Marco Leona of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for his lecture “Between Materials and Meanings: The Art and Science of Color.” The event was co-sponsored by the CLA Dean’s office, the Economics and Italian departments, Empowerment in STEM and Drew University Libraries and Special Collections at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29. As head of scientific research at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dr. Leona applies analytical chemistry to the understanding of art and its historical meanings.
Dr. Leona started the lecture by examining descriptions of color in ancient texts, as well as the intentions and meanings behind its use in art and everyday life. He also spoke on how color is described and used as an important tool for understanding the time period of the piece, as well as the artist themselves.
He further elaborated on how the art in conservation itself can lead conservators to understand an underlying meaning about a work of art. External factors such as dirt and dust can hide a painting’s original, vibrant colors or texture. Additionally, the chemical makeup of certain paints or pigments can be affected by the aging of the piece and how well it has been preserved over the years.
Utilizing tools such as scanning x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, art historians can view certain elements’ presence on the physical piece. This gives them the understanding of how the original piece looked when it was created, because there is a clear measure of how the chemical makeup has been affected. Dr. Leona used the example of a scan where copper and mercury are seen, which are used for Egyptian blue and cinnabar red respectively.
A three-dimensional rendering of a piece was displayed as an example of how art historians can digitally restore the original colors in works that cannot be restored physically. This technology, the very combination of art and science, is incredibly important for conservators because they can rebuild works lost to the test of time. Dr. Leona explains, “I could show you photographs of the ancient world, of ancient Greece, and of Pompeii…that show you how the ancient Greeks and Romans were looking at things. They’re not photographs, they’re paintings, but they tell us how the Romans [and Greeks] saw the world around them.”
Dr. Leona also uses the example of “The Great Wave Off” by Katsushika Hokusai, one of his favorite works and one of the most reproduced works of art of all time. Because “The Great Wave Off” is a printed piece, meaning there are many layers of color over top of one another, conservators can see those layers underneath. “Then we look more carefully at the print, and we realize that the printer actually told us what they have done,” said Dr. Leona.
“We’re trying to really expand the reach so that the [museum] is truly a community partner for all of our sister institutions,” said Dr. Leona. Dr. Leona works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in collaboration with many museums across New York and New Jersey. His department assists museums across the region who don’t have scientific researchers such as himself.
At 7:30 p.m., Dr. Leona and the audience reconvened at the University Archives for a reception which included refreshments and opportunities for further discussion on the talk. Dr. Andrea Lee, assistant teaching professor of chemistry and club advisor for Empowerment in STEM, reflected, “I am fascinated by the intersection of science and art. Science is very objective, but there is also meaning behind it that you are able to extrapolate. It’s cool to have a field where you can combine the techniques of both.” More information on the art and history of color can be found at the new exhibit on color in the Drew University Archives.
Jaden Finn is a sophomore majoring in environmental science and minoring in creative arts & technology.
