Chemistry and Art

In this science lab course, which provides a connection between the fields of chemistry and technical art history, students are introduced to the relatively new historical method of reconstructing historical recipes and technical instructions. In the course of two weeks, they work on reconstructions of artisanal recipes that can be found in the Italian treatise: De' secreti del reuerendo donno Alessio Piemontese. Published for the first time in 1555, this book of secrets went through several editions and translations and proved immensely popular in six- and seventeenth century Europe. The students document the entire reconstruction process and write a concise annotation of the recipe they have worked with. The results are made available online and extended each time the course is offered.
 
Format

The course takes place at UU’s Van’t Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry and involves a visit to the Atelier Building and Library of the Rijksmuseum. During the course students first receive instruction how to read and interpret old books and manuscripts and how to conduct experiments in a modern lab setting. Based on the close reading of a specific recipe, they reconstruct the material and rework the method adapting it to modern lab conditions and safety standards. Examples of such recipes are historical inks or paints and imitation pearls. The resulting materials are investigated and characterised with modern scientific techniques. Students learn to appreciate the keeping of a lab journal and use the latter to make both a concise annotation of the original recipe and a modern synthesis instruction. In their final report they describe their results both from an (art) historical and a scientific perspective.

Attendance
Due to the short duration and intensive nature of the lab course, 100% attendance is required, including the visit to the Rijksmuseum.