Rachel Billinge,
Research Associate in the National Gallery's Conservation Department discussed her
technical investigation of several paintings by Raphael.
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| Infrared camera ‘Apollo’ in use recording image |
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| Infrared reflectogram mosaic of The procession to Calvary, (1504) |
Jill Dunkerton and Nicholas Penny
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| Raphael, Cartoon for the Vision of a Knight, British Museum Pen and brown ink, pricked for transfer |
Rachel Billinge
Conservation Department of The National Gallery, London
The National Gallery’s nine paintings by Raphael provide a useful sample of the different types of work he was pursuing in his early career – including as it does small secular and devotional works as well as large altarpieces. What comes out of their study with infrared reflectography, together with study of the related drawings, is a picture of a man for whom design was crucial, who worked in a systematic and controlled way with meticulous care – drawing and re-drawing until the design was right then making use of methods of mechanical transfer to ensure that a successful design was accurately reproduced (not just between paper and panel but also at intermediate stages between studies). But significantly this method of working did allow flexibility and at every stage we see small alterations and improvements as well as larger changes, right through to the final applications of paint.
