Art in the Making

This book is the catalogue for an exhibition held at the National Gallery in London from November 1990 to April 1991.;In this book a curator, a conservator, and two scientists use modern methods of examination to investigate exactly how Impressionist paintings were done and what materials were used.;Beginning with an essay that sets the techniques of the Impressionists within a wider context of French 19th-century painting practice, the authors go on to discuss such subjects as open-air painting, the Impressionist use of colour, and the paint layers and surfaces of Impressionist paintings. Focusing in particular on the vivid new ready-mixed paints that became available to these painters, the authors show how this development allowed artists to free themselves from traditional studio practice and to express their vision more boldly.;The core of the book is devoted to a detailed discussion of 15 paintings from the National Gallery in London which were examined using X-radiography, infra-red photography, and the analysis of pigments and paint media. The book is illustrated not only with these paintings and with comparative pictures but also with raking-light and infra-red photographs, X-rays, and cross sections of paint samples.