Conservators and scientists are forensically examining Sidney Nolan’s iconic series of Ned Kelly paintings, looking for hidden stories beneath the top layers of paint.
Using imaging technology normally reserved for crime labs and medical research, the team at the Canberra Museum and Gallery can see through the paint to reveal what is underneath.
Australia’s leading Nolan scholar, Paula Dredge, said the artist preferred to leave parts of his work unmentioned so people could discover things for themselves.
Dr Paula Dredge (left) says Sidney Nolan liked leaving parts of his works a mystery for people to solve. (ABC News: Mark Moore)
“He liked the idea of being a bit mysterious and not explaining everything too much,” Dr Dredge said.
“He would often say, ‘There’s more to this story, but I’m not going to tell you.'”
She said because he used household paint like Ripolin, which self-levels so the paintings are quite flat, textural inconsistencies can been seen through the paint layer.
“They give you some clues that there’s something underneath,” Dr Dredge said.
“But often you can’t really tell what’s underneath until you do some sort of imaging.”
Areas of uneven texture on the surface of Sidney Nolan’s paintings, like these on Return to Glenrowan, are a clue that something else could be underneath. (ABC News: Mark Moore)
Dr Dredge said she first saw a hidden painting under one of Nolan’s works during a project with the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne.
“We took one of the early Kelly paintings to the Australian Synchrotron [and] we did an X-ray map of it,” she said.
“We found that there was a whole other head underneath the Kelly mask.
“That was a real highlight discovery at the time, so ever since I’ve been trying to see those hidden paintings.”
Canberra Museum and Gallery conservator and research team member Celia Cramer said the infrared camera they are using can see through a surface, such as the top layers of paint, along with whatever is reflected under that surface.
Canberra Museum and Gallery conservator Celia Cramer says the team has found hidden newspaper clippings, words, and figures in some of Nolan’s paintings. (ABC News: Mark Moore)
She said the team has uncovered hidden figures, words and newspaper clippings unseen by anyone but the artist himself.
“We’ve seen a landscape that’s been painted over with a yellow background,” Dr Cramer said.
“Possibly so that it draws attention to the main character, or possibly he didn’t like it.
“This recent one that we got, we’ve seen an early composition [but] it’s not making sense. We’re going to try and turn it upside down and see if maybe he painted it the other way around.”
Dr Paula Dredge says she believes Sidney Nolan would appreciate new technologies being used to unveil mysteries in his works. (ABC News: Zaarkacha Marlan)
Dr Dredge said because Nolan was very interested in science she thought he would appreciate new technology being used to find out new things about his paintings.
“Sometimes when we find these things it just opens up new possibilities, new mysteries, new questions,” she said.
“Nolan’s work is just always a new discovery.
The project comes 50 years since Sidney Nolan gifted the selected works to the Australian people. (ABC News: Zaarkacha Marlan)
“There’s always new things that are hidden, things that are new to find in his paintings,” Dr Dredge said.
“You never reach the bottom, you never get to a space where there’s not another mystery.”
The infrared examination of Nolan’s Ned Kelly series is part of a larger project, celebrating 50 years since he gifted the works to the Australian people.
The project’s discoveries will contribute to the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s landmark exhibition Nolan: The Backstory, which is set to open in 2027.
