Laboratory for Archaeometry and Conservation Sciences

The ‘Laboratory for Archaeometry and Conservation Sciences’ has its origins in the ‘teaching and experimental workshops’ established by Bernhard Pankok at the Stuttgart School of Applied Arts in the early 20th century; it continues to embody their ethos as a creative space for independent research and individual teaching to this day. The focus is on artistic works from all eras and cultures – their creation, their cultural significance, their study within the field of art history, and their physical conservation.

Through internationally networked, interdisciplinary research projects, the Laboratory for Archaeometry and Conservation Sciences addresses fundamental research questions in art technology and conservation sciences, such as the painting techniques of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (www.kirchner-projekt. abk-stuttgart.de), the material history and conservation of pastels in the early 20th century, the development of new methods for illumination in infrared reflectography, the penetration behaviour of consolidants during the stabilisation of paint layers, and the three-dimensional visualisation of submicroscopic transport damage to paintings.

The laboratory is the central hub for teaching on the Academy’s Conservation and Restoration degree programmes. The scientific content and analytical techniques are taught through introductory seminars, practical sessions and lectures, but primarily through collaborative work with students on the challenges arising from restoration projects. Thanks to the laboratory’s outstanding technical equipment – including a scanning electron microscope, a Raman microscope and an infrared spectrometer – questions relating to materials and their transformation products from all areas of technical art history and conservation science can be addressed. Non-destructive imaging techniques such as infrared reflectography, X-ray and 3D white-light strip projection scanners are also available. Understanding historical treatises on art techniques and the practical recreation of recipes also play a particularly important role in the investigations.

The university is currently working to expand the laboratory and create the best possible working conditions for students and teaching staff.