As part of the project investigating the use of chia oil and other unknown artistic materials in art from New Spain, a group of scientists (including ARCHE members Julie Arslanoglu and Aleksandra Popowich), conservators, and curators from The Metropolitan Museum of Art travelled to Mexico in June to discuss their research and collaboration with colleagues at Mexican institutions. The group of researchers visited over 13 institutions in Mexico City, Puebla, and Tepotzotlán interacting with vast collections of Mexican lacquerware and Viceregal paintings. They also had the opportunity to visit Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the National School of Conservation, Restoration and Museography (ENCRyM). 

This first trip to Mexico was invaluable to our research on New Spanish Art – helping us gather reference materials, view and study the objects in person, do archival research, and learn from the institutions which care and house these objects. A second trip to Mexico will occur this fall to sample a subset of the artworks seen for analysis as part of this study. Paintings Conservator