Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes to keep our most beloved artworks looking as vibrant as the day they were painted? Welcome to the Conservation Science Lab—a $3-million, state-of-the-art facility where art history and preservation meet cutting-edge science. It’s one of the most exciting corners of Newfields. Let’s take a microscopic look at what our incredible art conservation team does every day to protect the art here at Newfields.

Frederic Remington (American, 1861–1909), The Broncho Buster, 1895, bronze, height 23-1/4 in. Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Gift of Mrs. Theodore B. Griffith, 46.16

While Newfields has been dedicated to conservation efforts since the 70s, the science lab, as we know it, truly came to life in 2010. Thanks to a generous endowment from the Frenzel Family Charitable Lead Trust and a gift from Lilly Endowment Inc, we were able to build a modern sanctuary for art from the ground up. The lab is fully streamlined and beautifully designed with a contemporary take on the historic Arts and Crafts movement, to be as inspiring to work in as the artwork that circulates throughout the lab. The facility, led by Gregory Smith, our Otto N. Frenzel III Sr. Conservation Scientist, works hand in hand with our wider conservation team at Newfields.

Corneille de Lyon (Netherlandish, active in France, 1500/1510–1575), Portrait of René du Puy du Fou, about 1550, oil on wood panel, transferred to canvas, 6-11/16 x 5-7/16 in. (panel). Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, The Clowes Collection, 2014.86.

The lab operates on a specific philosophy: to truly understand a piece of art, you must look through a scientific lens. It’s not just about knowing where a painting is from; it’s about knowing the exact moment the artist worked. Did they paint outside in the bright sun or in a dim studio? What materials were in the paints the artists used? What were the true colors the artist intended to paint?

For example, in the portrait above by Corneille de Lyon, the team had to meticulously restore and analyze this painting to be fit for display where it is now in the Clowes Fund Collection. You can read about the exact technical examination process in our digital catalogue, Masterpieces from the Clowes Collection: Paintings. The conservation science lab looks at all angles to figure out the condition of the painting, from the makeup and health of the paint to the nails in the canvas support. With the lab’s specialized instruments and our team’s know-how, we can find those answers.

Packed with high-tech tools, our Lab is fully equipped to tackle the challenges of modern technical art history. From electron microscopes to micro-spectrometers, we use technology to detect the chemical composition of the materials the artists used. Our conservators can better preserve and conserve the artworks based on the materials identified in the paint.

Did you know the pink tones in some of Van Gogh’s paintings have vanished over time? Our research helps us understand why certain pigments, like those delicate Geranium lake pinks—don’t last, allowing us to better preserve what remains. To tackle this issue, our conservation science team has a specialized instrument that focuses a microscopic beam of intense light at an art work to test how fast a painting might fade when exhibited in the galleries. Since all art eventually deteriorates, especially when on display, this helps us to stay one step ahead of time, giving our conservators the exact understanding of how to properly care for even our most delicate pieces. For instance, some of our conservatorsspend months using solvent soaked swabs or tiny scalpels to carefully remove yellowing varnish, layer by layer, to reveal the artist’s original colors. See an example of our recently restored Neo-Impressionist painting by Emile Bernard, ready for display for the first time in nearly a decade.

Greg often jokes that the conservation world is a small one. Nearly everyone knows everyone else and this tight-knit community is constantly sharing new methods to investigate works of art. Interestingly, the science of artists’ materials, like material science itself, has applications in the real world, such as the advanced forensic fingerprint dusting technique repurposing an ancient Egyptian blue pigment that was developed with the help of our lab. Read more about this discovery here. Our team regularly publishes their findings in conservation or mainstream scientific journals, contributing to the global scientific community. This ensures the work done here at Newfields reaches far beyond our gallery walls.

Nothing we do here at Newfields is possible without the crucial support of our donors and our museum supporters. Your donation supports world-class exhibitions and the conservation of our 152-acre campus: Give here. We'd like to recognize all the donations that make endeavors such as the Conservation Science Lab possible, which has been generously supported by several foundations and individuals, including, but not limited to: