V&A Success Story.Indd

Customer Success Story: Inspecting the statue cast of Michelangelo’s David at the world-renowned V&A, London

The V&A in London is the world’s greatest museum of art and design, and Company the 19th-century plaster cast of Michelangelo’s David is the centrepiece V&A Museum of their Weston Cast Court. Experts at the Museum noticed ﬂ aking and cracking appearing on the cast. The statue had been moved around over the years and, with London heavily bombed during the Second World War, Industry it was feared that this may have had an effect on David. Arts Region Europe Intertek Solutions Non-Destructive Testing - Digital Radiography

Photos courtesy of: © Johanna Puisto Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Solution

The V&A asked Intertek’s UK-based non-destructive testing increased the output of the X-ray unit to accommodate. experts to inspect the fi ve-metre fi gure and determine the extent The V&A staff viewed ‘real-time’ images as the digital of the cracking. After the Museum had closed its doors to the radiography was taking place and the Intertek team was public, Intertek technical personnel used digital radiography to able to explain what was seen. examine David from his knees to his ankles – the most accessible parts of the statue. David resides on a two-metre high plinth and The Result scaffolding was already in situ for the team to access the fi gure. The Intertek team discovered the cracks were simply cracks The team used an X-ray unit and digital scanner to examine in the paint, possibly from where it had been applied and him but needed to ensure they didn’t come into direct contact as each paint layer was added over a period of time. with the cast. Digital computed technology (CR) is an advanced Non-destructive testing encompasses a wide group of non-destructive testing technique and is used for the detection analysis techniques that do not permanently alter or of defects, cracks, corrosion and erosion. With CR technology, damage the item being examined or inspected. These images are captured using reusable imaging plates in place of techniques help assure safety and reliability through fi lm. The phosphor coated plate enables us to detect the smallest detection of any defects in industrial assets and also, as irregularities, from hairline cracks to minute defects in a range evidenced by its usage in this project for the Museum, the of materials including aluminium, steel, plastics and composites. techniques are benefi cial for inspecting the integrity of CR images can be enhanced for greater viewing capabilities non-industrial items such as statues! and interpretation in comparison to conventional radiographic techniques. For more information: During the digital radiography, the team had diffi culty ‘penetrating’ the statue with their equipment. Charlotte Hubbard, Head Sculpture Conservator at the V&A, informed the team that there Intertek Non-Destructive Testing were three layers of lead-based paint on the statue, therefore we Email: [email protected]