Description
A wooden panel, found in Hexham Abbey after being lost for more than 30 years, could be the missing part in a series of medieval panel paintings – according to art conservators using state-of-the-art multispectral imaging technology. The painting is believed to be part of the Dance of Death sequence, a series of four surviving wooden panel paintings dating back to around 1500, which illustrate Death visiting powerful figures, including a cardinal, a king, an emperor, and the pope. For centuries, Scholars and art historians had speculated about the existence of a fifth panel, thought to depict the ‘introducer or caller’ introducing the sequence, following a 1790s sketch by antiquarian John Carter. Then in 2017 a wooden panel, which had not been seen since the 1990s, was discovered in Hexham Abbey’s triforium – an area of the Abbey rarely visited due to its inaccessibility.The panel was in a poor condition, with the surface heavily discoloured, and so the Hexham Abbey Conservation Group enlisted the expertise of Dr Charis Theodorakopoulos, a heritage scientist at Northumbria University. Speaking about the research, Dr Theodorakopoulos said: “The investigation involved non-destructive multispectral imaging, which allowed us to examine the paint layers without extracting samples from the panel. The discovery of this panel that may belong to the Dance of Death series of paintings is a monumental achievement for Hexham Abbey and for art conservation. This is not only a rediscovery of an important piece of art history, but it also demonstrates the potential of modern technology in unlocking the secrets of our cultural heritage."
Dr Tom Kelsey of Hexham Abbey added: “The technical skills that Dr Theodorakopoulos and Northumbria University brought to our investigations cannot be underestimated. Melding together the spectral analysis and the history of the Abbey’ s medieval art collection has proved so helpful – and will be of enduring interest to many academics and interested observers.”
The research was carried out in 2018 in partnership with Hexham Abbey Conservation Group and will now feature as a case study in a webinar being given by Dr Theodorakopoulos and XpectralTEK, taking place on Wednesday 30 April at 3pm.
| Period | 17 Apr 2025 |
|---|---|
| Degree of Recognition | National |