Tour Overview
For nearly 50 years, the Timken has partnered with leading conservators, including the Balboa Art Conservation Center (BACC), to ensure the care and preservation of its renowned collection. BACC is a nonprofit conservation center in Balboa Park who works closely with the Timken’s Curatorial Department to identify conservation priorities and research opportunities. Here, science and art history converge.
Recently, they teamed up to investigate the pigments found in some of the Timken’s most popular paintings, providing curators and scholars with yet another source of information to help piece together the paintings’ stories.
Using a specialized technology called X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), BACC’s skilled conservators were able to look into the elemental composition of each painting to identify the specific pigments used. This fruitful research uncovered key insights into the artist’s process and materials sourcing, helping to chronologize each work.
Dive deeper into art conservation’s scientific side through the following tour.