Title: An Unexpected Collaboration
Duration: 3:40 minutes
Description:
Shell and the National Gallery
The Scientific department at the National Gallery and Shell scientists from the Shell Technology Centre
Amsterdam have been researching a red pigment called Brazilwood lake that was used by Dutch 17th
century artists, including Rembrandt. This pigment is prone to fading, which can gradually change the
‘look’ of paintings. Due to the complexity of the research we have employed scientific tools and
techniques more typically used to analyse the molecules in fuel to identify the molecular structure of
this component. We hope to find out more about how it degrades and improve the ability to identify it.
An Unexpected Collaboration Film Transcript
[Background music plays]
Calm, soothing piano music
[Visuals]
Guests looking at paintings throughout the National Gallery in London. Close ups on specific artworks.
[Voice Over Audio]
It is one of life’s great pleasures to visit an art gallery, to contemplate and admire masterpieces painted
over many centuries.
[Visuals]
Exterior shot of the National Gallery. Interior footage of the gallery space and specific artwork
including Van Gogh’s, Sunflowers
[Voice Over Audio]
Wandering through The National Gallery in London, visitors can marvel at the incredible creativity and
skill of some of history’s finest artists.
[Visuals]
Close ups of historical paint recipes; panning shot of colour pigments in vials
[Voice Over Audio]
Yet to maintain these great works, gallery experts must first understand the materials used to create
them.
Interview with Betsy Wieseman
[Title]
Curator of Dutch and Flemish Paintings The National Gallery
[Betsy]
‘Knowing how a painting was created helps us to choose the right ways to preserve and display it.
Some pigments are vulnerable to changes through light or chemical reaction. For example, in this
painting by Rembrandt, the rider’s coat is still a vibrant yellow, but other areas of the painting have
become darkened over time.’
[Visuals]
Betsy speaking in front of Rembrandt’s Portrait of Frederick Rihel on Horseback; Scientists pouring
pigment into dish and examining with microscope; Betsy contemplating Rembrandt works hanging in
the National Gallery; Panning close ups of Rembrandt’s Portrait of Frederick Rihel on Horseback
[Voice Over Audio]
Now, an innovative scientific collaboration between The National Gallery and Shell is helping to shed
some light on the complex reasons behind these changes.
[Visuals]
Dr. David Peggie of the National Gallery examining a pigment through a microscope and charting info
and graphs on a computer screen
Interview with Dr David Peggie
[Title]
Scientific Officer – Organic Analyst
The National Gallery
[David Peggie]
‘We're investigating a red lake pigment, specifically Brazilwood lake, used by Rembrandt and other
Dutch 17th century artists. Brazilwood lake is extremely sensitive and very difficult to detect.
It is very light-sensitive, making the work that we're doing a considerable scientific challenge.’
[Visuals]
David Peggie examining pigment through a microscope; speaking in an office; separating pigment in a
laboratory
[Voice Over]
Understanding the Brazilwood Lake’s scientific make-up will mean that it can be more easily identified.
This will allow the team to not only know when a painter has used the pigment, but also to understand
how the colours we see today may have changed over time.
[Visuals]
Close up of microscope; close up of pigment; David Peggie and Betsy Wieseman examining
Rembrandt’s Portrait of Frederick Rihel on Horseback
[Voice Over]
Doing so requires the type of high-tech equipment found at the laboratories of the Shell Technology
Centre in Amsterdam.
[Visuals]
Female scientist working in laboratory; exterior shot of the Shell Technology Centre Amsterdam
[Background music changes]
Faster paced, exciting and somewhat futuristic sounding music
[Voice Over]
Here, Shell scientists are employing cutting-edge equipment normally used in the analysis of fuel
molecules to unlock the red pigment’s hidden secrets.
[Visuals]
Scientists working laboratory; close ups of equipment
[Voice Over]
By recreating the pigment using historical recipes, the team has been able to study it at a molecular
level.
[Visuals]
Close ups of pigments in vials, close up of scientific equipment; close up of computer with molecular
compound on screen; three scientists conferring in laboratory
Interview with Dr David Peggie
[David Peggie]
‘This whole project has been a voyage of discovery. Combining Shell's technical expertise with the
National Gallery's knowledge of materials, we can start to explore how the colour in Rembrandt's work
may differ from what we see now, compared to all those years ago.’
[Visuals]
David Peggie speaking in office setting; David Peggie and scientist conferring in laboratory; close up of
Rembrandt’s Portrait of Frederick Rihel on Horseback
[Voice Over]
Shell and the National Gallery. Science and art. It may seem like an unexpected collaboration, but it is
the type of innovative partnership in which Shell has a long heritage.
[Visuals]
Close up of Rembrandt’s Portrait of Frederick Rihel on Horseback; David Peggie and scientist conferring;
panning close up of pigments in vials;
[Voice Over]
Together the work on this collaboration is helping to enhance people’s understanding of timeless
masterpieces. For the teams involved in London and Amsterdam, it is a chance to work on a project
that has the potential to make an impact on the future preservation of art.
[Visuals]
David Peggie and scientist conferring; Betsy Wieseman looking at Rembrandt works hanging in gallery;
three scientists reviewing computer screen
Interview with Dr Wim Genuit
[Title]
Shell Scientist
[Wim]
‘The nice thing about a career in science is that you never know where you will end up.
I've never expected to be involved in a project like this. For me personally, it's very nice to be involved
in this investigation of pigments which have been used by Rembrandt.’
[Visuals]
Three scientists conferring around a computer screen; David Peggie and Wim Genuit reviewing a
computer screen; Wim Genuit interviewed in hallway of Shell Technology Centre Amsterdam
Interview with Betsy Wieseman
[Betsy]
There's so much we can never know about art that was created hundreds of years ago, but this new
collaboration between the National Gallery and Shell has given us fresh new insight into the workings
of Rembrandt's studio. But perhaps most importantly, it's shown us what's possible when the worlds of
art and science come together.
[Visuals]
Betsy speaking in front of a Rembrandt painting; guests moving through the gallery; close up of Portrait
of Frederick Rihel on Horseback; shot of laboratory and computer screen
[Closing Visual]
Shell Pecten on white background
[Copy]
© Shell International Limited 2014