Philippe Walter

In partnership with the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research)

The Speaker

Dr. Philippe Walter is laboratory director of the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (CNRS-Ministry of Culture), located in Paris in the Louvre.

His research is aimed at developing new analytical methods adapted to the study of ancient materials, with the assistance of the AGLAE particle accelerator in his laboratory but also with x-rays from other important scientific installations (synchrotron) and portable analytical instruments. His main research interest is focused on the use of analytical chemistry in order to understand the development of chemistry for health and beauty during Antiquity and the creation of new painting materials, for instance, during the Renaissance period.

An alumnus of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Lyon, he went on to earn a PhD in geochemistry from the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse in 1993. He has organized several exhibitions at the Egyptian museum in Cairo (2002) and in Paris (2008) promoting his work.

He has been a research scientist at the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) since 1995 and received the CNRS silver medal in 2008.

Lectures

Beyond the appearance of works of art: the chemist’s view
The association between chemistry and art is nothing new. Since Antiquity, new products have been developed to prepare pigments used in the fields of art, cosmetics and health. During the Renaissance, artists looked for optical effects in preparing translucent glazes from complicated recipes.

Today, the technical know-how of the ancient chemists and artists can be rediscovered with analytical tools from physical chemistry. The priceless nature of the most famous works of history requires, however, particular precautions and the adjustment of methods providing the maximum amount of information from the minimum sample (if in fact any can be found). We will illustrate these activities with examples concerning ancient Egypt and Leonardo da Vinci.

Scientific imaging of museum objects
Just as in medicine, the study of ancient objects requires advanced scientific imaging techniques to provide information on their creation and on former technologies, and to help in their preservation. The development of new analytical tools, sometimes requiring high-tech methods, provides us with a better understanding of the creation of objects and works of art, ranging from the millimeter up to the nanometer scale.

The lecture will allow us to illustrate the importance of these multi-scale imaging techniques for the history of the arts and societies.
The examples used will deal with early uses of technology and the discovery of the Old Masters’ painting techniques.

Links

Official websites:
www.umr171-cnrs.fr
www.c2rmf.fr

Articles:
http://www2.cnrs.fr/presse/communique/1587.htm
http://www2.cnrs.fr/presse/journal/4351.htm
http://www.cnrs.fr/fr/recherche/prix/docs/argent2008/WalterP.pdf  
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/ancient-egyptian-womens-magical-make-up-cured-eye-disease-as-well_100302532.html

Videos:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6zbdo_effervesciences-philippe-walter_tech
http://videotheque.cnrs.fr/index.php?urlaction=doc&id_doc=1920

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