Videos: Lavinia Fontana Conservation and Research Project

Go behind the scenes with Gallery conservators, curators and the project sponsors

This series of short films introduces the recent Lavinia Fontana Conservation and Research Project, and takes a closer look at the artist and her painting The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon (1599).

Videos by Laura Sheeran; music by Colm Mac Con Iomaire.

Video 6: The varnish removal process

Maria Canavan, Paintings Conservator, National Gallery of Ireland, talks about how the conservators removed old and discoloured varnish from Lavinia Fontana's painting.

Video 5: Bringing science to art

Maria Canavan, Paintings Conservator, talks about how scientific analysis of the painting has revealed new information about Fontana's artistic process and the pigments she used.

Video 4: Discovering the hidden details

Maria Canavan, Paintings Conservator, discusses the hidden details of the painting revealed during technical examination.

Video 3: The story behind the painting

Dr Aoife Brady, Curator of Italian and Spanish Art, takes a closer look at Fontana's monumental painting.

Video 2: Who was Lavinia Fontana?

Dr Aoife Brady, Curator of Italian and Spanish Art, provides some insights into the life of this pioneering artist.

Video 1: Introducing the Lavinia Fontana Conservation and Research Project

Watch the Gallery team de-install Lavinia Fontana's painting and bring it behind the scenes to the conservation studio. We are also joined by Rena De Sisto, Global Arts and Culture Executive, Bank of America, discussing the funding opportunities provided by the Bank, and why this painting was chosen as a grant recipient.

Funding for the conservation of this artwork was generously provided through a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project