News from the Getty - The APPEAR (Ancient Panel Paintings, Examination, Analysis and Research) Project, Publication and Second Conference in 2022!
In 2013, the Antiquities Conservation Department at the J. Paul Getty Museum launched an international collaboration known as APPEAR: Ancient Panel Painting, Examination, Analysis and Research. Focused on the study of the materials and manufacturing practices of ancient mummy portraits from Roman Egypt, the APPEAR project is a collaboration of forty-nine partner institutions and eleven advisory consultants from different archaeological and archaeometric backgrounds. Participation in the project encourages the exchange of comparative visual, historical and technical information through a database platform for sharing among scholars world-wide to develop research paths, and recognize trends and anomalies. The value of identifying and comparing the materials used to create these exceptionally well-preserved painted artifacts, specifically pigments and binding media, directly benefits the broader understanding of polychromy in the ancient world. Through conferences, publications and keeping the subject at the forefront of ancient material studies, the APPEAR project will remain a unique resource for years to come.
Conferences and Publication Information
In 2018 an international conference was organized at the Getty Villa providing an opportunity for participants to present their research; the papers were published in 2020 online and can be accessed here:
https://www.getty.edu/publications/mummyportraits/.
The APPEAR project will conclude in 2022 with a second meeting hosted by the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam. For information on the project and updates, please visit: https://www.getty.edu/museum/conservation/APPEAR/index.html
Added: 09/09/2021
