Materials Lab Workshop: Earth

What do a contemporary Indigenous painting from Australia, a bozzetto by Bernini, an attic vase, and an ancient Chinese bronze have in common? They were all made using earth-based pigments or clays. How and why have such materials been used across time and cultures, and what can be learned from their scientific analysis?

Francesca Bewer, research curator for conservation and technical studies, along with guest experts, will lead this exploration of earthen materials in art. The workshop will combine close looking at select objects in the collections with hands-on experimentation in the museums’ Materials Lab, a space designed to encourage the investigation of materials and techniques used in works of art.
 
The event will be held in the Materials Lab, Lower Level.
 
$15 materials fee. Registration is required and payment must be made in advance. Please email am_visitorservices@harvard.edu or stop by the museums’ admissions desk to register. Space is limited to 12 participants. Minimum age of 14.