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What’s under the yellowed crust of varnish on renaissance paintings

https://twitter.com/philipmould/status/927542755500359680 Art dealer and BBC presenter Philip Mould posted this video showing restoration work on a centuries-old painting . It’s more vigorous than you might expect: a solvent tailored to the varnish but safe for the paint, and the resulting slimy mix simply wiped off to reveal surprisingly clear, vibrant color. Mould hasn’t shared the secrets of what method is being used. Turpentine is sometimes used with another solvent, but that doesn’t appear to be what’s happening here. No matter what method is employed, it takes a good deal of skill to remove the varnish and not have any impact on the actual painting underneath. Details about the featured painting aren’t abundant. Mould later clarified that the “woman in red” is 36 years-old and was painted in 1618, according to an inscription. Below is a digital restoration of the Mona Lisa . The varnish and paint are reportedly too chemically similar to attempt the job with current techniques.

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What’s under the yellowed crust of varnish on renaissance paintings

New high-resolution scan of medieval Aberdeen Bestiary

The 12th-century Aberdeen Bestiary has just been digitally scanned and made available online. One of the most famous extant bestiaries, the new version includes newly-discovered details on the book’s production. (more…)

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New high-resolution scan of medieval Aberdeen Bestiary

Nanotextured glass becomes "invisible"

Materials scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a way to etch nano-sized patterns into glass so that glare is nearly eliminated. Via c&en : To reduce the annoying glare from the surfaces of cell phones and eyeglasses, manufacturers often coat them with antireflective films. Yet these coatings are limited because they reduce the reflection of light only at certain optimal wavelengths. Now, by directly changing the morphology of glass in a process called nanotexturing, researchers can fabricate glass that cuts down on reflection from light across wide swaths of visible and infrared wavelengths, making the material close to invisible. The new glass could be useful in devices such as laser systems and solar cells, in which light loss causes inefficient performance.

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Nanotextured glass becomes "invisible"

Cheapest Michelin-star meal in the world costs a mere $1.50

Most Michelin-starred restaurants are on the pricey side, although you do hear of the occasional food truck that earns a star. But this food cart in Singapore, Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice, run by 52-year-old master chef Chan Hon Meng, serves the “cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world,” at just $1.50. Now, if I can just afford a ticket to Singapore.

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Cheapest Michelin-star meal in the world costs a mere $1.50

Giant "void" detected in Great Pyramid

A new scanning technique has revealed what scientists believe is an empty space within the Great Pyramid at Gizeh . While it might be an architectural feature intended to limit the load upon the hallway beneath it, it could be a huge room. They also detected a smaller void at a different spot in the pyramid. “We don’t know whether this big void is horizontal or inclined; we don’t know if this void is made by one structure or several successive structures,” explained Mehdi Tayoubi from the HIP Institute, Paris. “What we are sure about is that this big void is there; that it is impressive; and that it was not expected as far as I know by any sort of theory.” … Much of the uncertainty comes down to the rather imprecise data gained from muography. This non-invasive technique has been developed over the past 50 years to probe the interiors of phenomena as diverse as volcanoes and glaciers. It has even been used to investigate the failed nuclear reactors at Fukushima.

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Giant "void" detected in Great Pyramid

Geode jigsaw puzzles

This stunning line of geologically-inspired jigsaw puzzles, named Geode, is the creation of Massachusetts-based generative design studio and retailer Nervous System . As described in their blog : Geode is a jigsaw puzzle inspired by the formation of agate, a colorful banded stone. Each puzzle is unique, emerging from a computer simulation that creates natural variations in the shape, pieces, and image. Hundreds of lasercut plywood pieces intertwine to form a challenging, maze-like puzzle. Each geode is a slice of an algorithmic rock. The puzzles are intricately cut in birch plywood, completely unique from each other, and available in two sizes (approx. 180 pieces for $60 and 370 pieces for $95 ). https://vimeo.com/239518266 ( My Modern Met )

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Geode jigsaw puzzles

Today’s art thieves rob via email

London galleries — and some US dealers — have been hit by a rash of electronic thefts by crooks who take over the gallery’s email accounts and interrupt the transmission of invoices at the close of high-ticket sales, substituting fake invoices with throwaway bank accounts that close up and disappear after the money lands — then the crooks stay in the email, interrupting “where’s my money” emails and sending back fake replies assuring the galleries that the “buyer” is doing all they can to locate the rogue payment. (more…)

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Today’s art thieves rob via email