There’s an exhibit on the South Coast that shows how science is used to uncover mysteries in art.
This display at the William Rolland Gallery of Art at California Lutheran University is called “Traces: Revealing Secrets in Art and History.” It allows visitors to see how scientific techniques can uncover forgeries, predict aging, restore works close to their original states and more.
In one example, visitors can use an ultraviolet flashlight to take a closer look at a 1900 painting of a woman. It looks perfect in many areas, but only when the UV light is shined on it can dark purplish areas be seen.
“When we restore works, we want to make it very obvious for future generations what has been restored,” explains Curator Rachel Schmid.
Admission is free and it runs through February 21st.
CLU is the parent of KCLU Radio.