Unveiling the unseen: forensic imaging in a revered Australian art saga
In Canberra, a team of conservators and scientists is using techniques once reserved for crime labs and medical research to peer beneath the surface of Sidney Nolan’s iconic Ned Kelly paintings. The project, led by the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMG), aims to uncover hidden narratives and compositions that the artist may have deliberately tucked away or left unfinished. This innovative work is not about erasing mystery but about deepening understanding of Nolan’s process, materials, and storytelling approach.
As the works prepared for a major celebration marking 50 years since Nolan gifted them to the Australian people, imaging technologies are helping to map the layers that lie beneath the familiar surfaces. The team is combining high-resolution X-ray mapping with infrared techniques to reveal elements that the naked eye cannot see. The goal is to create a richer, more contextual view of Nolan’s Ned Kelly sequence while preserving the integrity of the paintings for future generations.
Technology meets art: how the imaging works
Conservator and CMG research team member Celia Cramer explains that infrared cameras can see through surface paint layers to what lies underneath. The paintings often used household paint like Ripolin, which tends to self-level and flatten textures, making the top layer deceptively even. But under infrared light, subtle inconsistencies in the surface can reveal intriguing clues—perhaps a draft composition, a portrait study, or fragments of text and imagery that Nolan erased or reworked.
Paula Dredge, Australia’s leading Nolan scholar, notes that Nolan relished ambiguity. The artist often left aspects of his work unspoken, inviting viewers to draw their own conclusions. “He liked the idea of being a bit mysterious and not explaining everything too much,” she says. Because the paintings reveal their structure only under imaging, Dredge highlights how technology can illuminate the artist’s hidden intentions without altering the work’s surface.
Early discoveries and ongoing investigations
The project’s investigative arc began with a breakthrough during a collaboration with Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne. A Ned Kelly painting was subjected to X-ray mapping at the Australian Synchrotron, and researchers uncovered a hidden layer that hinted at a previously unknown composition. Since then, the CMG team has continued to push the boundaries of what imaging can reveal, cautiously interpreting findings within the context of Nolan’s oeuvre and the painting’s conservation needs.
Dr. Dredge recounts a recent exploration where an early composition appeared in an image but did not immediately make sense. The team planned to re-examine, including testing whether the image could be reversed or rotated to align with Nolan’s possible alternate viewing of the scene. Each discovery prompts careful consideration about what Nolan intended to communicate and how the hidden layer complements or challenges the primary narrative of the Ned Kelly series.
The broader project and an anticipated milestone
The infrared examination is part of a broader project celebrating a half-century since Nolan gifted the Ned Kelly paintings to the Australian people. The discoveries will contribute to a landmark CMG exhibition, “Nolan: The Backstory,” slated to open in 2027. The show aims to place Nolan’s Ned Kelly works within a wider context of his career, his scientific curiosity, and the ways in which technology can illuminate art history without compromising conservation ethics.
Why this matters to audiences
For visitors, the imaging work offers a bridge between the romance of Nolan’s iconic myth-making and the patient, meticulous discipline of conservation science. It shows that masterpieces are dynamic objects—capable of revealing new chapters as methods evolve. The revelations promise a more nuanced understanding of the Ned Kelly paintings and a celebration of how art and science can collaborate to tell deeper stories about Australia’s national icons.
