Doerner Institut Scientific Archive
Type Collection
Date of creation of the archive
- 1956
Date of closure of the archive
- N/A
Creator(s) of the archive
- Doerner Institut, Munich
Summary Description
- The Sample Collection of the Doerner Institut is composed of several thousand cross-section samples (mostly paintings, but also polychrome sculptures, wall paintings, and other objects) having been analyzed at the laboratory of the institute between the 1950s until today. Circa 50% of the samples were collected from works of the Bavarian State Painting Collections including mainly paintings created between the 15th and 20th centuries. The other half of the collection comprises samples from other museum collections, heritage sites or private works from all over the world that have been examined within various collaboration projects or service-based. All samples and analytical reports are fully documented (analogue and digital) in the archive and searchable via an internal database of the Doerner Institut.
Extent
- Type and number of units
- Estimated 3000-4000 samples of c. 1000 works of art.
Object type
- Cross-section
Mural painting
Painting
Sculpture
Material type
- Paint
Geographic Distribution
- Germany, Austria, Switzerland, USA, Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK, Spain, Italy, others.
Statement of Significance
- The Doerner Institut was founded as independent ‘Reich Institute for Painting Technology’ in Munich in 1937. Affiliated to the Bavarian State Painting Collections in 1946 and combined with its conservation workshops in 1977, the institute has received global recognition in the fields of art-technological and scientific research on painting techniques and materials as well as painting restoration. The institute's scientific department started to archive cross-section samples, i.e. paint samples embedded in different polymer resins, in the 1950s, at this time taken for microscopy or staining test, since the 1990s for SEM/EDX, Raman microscopy or FTIR imaging. The archived cross-sections are kept together with the scientific documentation file of the respective work of art, in case of works from the Bavarian State Painting Collections corresponding to a separate archive of the conservation – restoration department of the Doerner Institut. The archive is significant because it includes physical samples of numerous paintings or other painted objects from all relevant periods (mainly created in European countries) which count among the collection highlights of the word-renowned Munich Pinakotheken as well as many other major museums worldwide. Its significance is further increased by the fact that many works of art related to the samples are not or rarely accessible for new examination or sampling campaigns, and as such the archived cross-section samples have a high scientific and research potential.
Accessibility
- Yes - upon request
Access requirements
- To grant access to the physical samples and the related documents on previous analyses, imaging or technical reports, researchers need to contact the Doerner Institut in advance and demonstrate a legitimate need. Samples and documentation of privately-owned objects are treated confidentially and require extra permission by the owner. Criteria applied are: the scientific interest of the research proposal; in case of request for analysis, the Scientific Department decides together with the applicant about a suitable strategy including the possibility of re-analyzing the samples in-house or, if special or sophisticated methods are required, on applying non-destructive, non-invasive analytical techniques in qualified institutions. Decisions on access are made case by case taking into account staff capacities of the Doerner Institut.
Type of users
- Researchers engaged in cultural heritage research.
Keywords
- Conservation
Painting technique
Restoration
Technical art history
Finding aids
- Internal Database available.