The Centre’s Activities
The National Centre for Heritage Research began its operations in 2015. Its primary aim is to provide services to other museums in Poland, focusing in particular on making specialist equipment widely available and sharing the expertise of the National Museum in Kraków’s staff. The Centre carries out specialist technological research on artefacts, produces expert reports and undertakes activities that support conservation and improve the level of protection of collections. These tasks are indispensable elements of modern museum work at the highest international standard.
In 2015, the Centre launched its first call for proposals and carried out several pilot projects in collaboration with the Royal Castle at Wawel, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, the Ossoliński Institute in Wrocław and the National Museum in Poznań. The completed projects covered all the areas proposed in the call for proposals announced on 15 November 2015 – technological research, the development of parameterised conservation documentation, conservation strategies and interdisciplinary expert assessments.
At a meeting of the Centre’s Scientific Council, held on 5 February 2016 at the National Museum in Kraków, 10 proposals from 6 museums were selected. The full list of projects selected for implementation is available under the ‘Centre’s Activities/Research Projects’ tab. In 2016, the following two research projects, among others, were carried out at the National Museum in Warsaw: “Carta azzurra – the issue of discolouration of blue paper used in Venice from the second half of the 15th century, as illustrated by drawings by Jacopo Palma the Younger and Jacopo Bassano from the National Museum in Warsaw’s collection” and “Technological research aimed at obtaining information on the presence of underdrawings in five 16th-century Netherlandish paintings from the National Museum in Warsaw’s collection”, as well as an application submitted by the Lublin Museum in Lublin concerning research into medieval polychromy in the Gothic Chapel of the Holy Trinity at Lublin Castle.
Research projects
Projects selected in the 5th Competition for technological research and interdisciplinary expert studies to be carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2023
Application number: K5-2022-08
Project title: The mysterious portrait of a man from the National Museum in Poznań. A painting from the circle of van Dyck or a work by the master himself? Identification of technique and technology
Applicant: National Museum in Poznań
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Kopyciak, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz, Agnieszka Widacka-Bisaga, Dr Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez
Grant number: K5-2022-03
Project title: Research into the wall polychromy at the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka
Applicant: Museum of the Krakow Saltworks in Wieliczka
Project team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Kopyciak, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz, Dr Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez
Grant number: K5-2022-06
Project title: Interdisciplinary research on decorative amber plaque, inventory no. MHMG/B/212, from the collections of the Amber Museum, a branch of the Gdańsk Museum
Applicant: Gdańsk Museum
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Kopyciak, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz, Elżbieta Kuraś, Dr Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez
Grant number: K5-2022-04
Project title: The phenomenon of ‘Silesian Realism’ in the works of Wilhelm Kalteysen von Oche and related artists from the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw. Technological and pictorial research to deepen knowledge of technical practices in Silesian painting during the period c. 1440–1470
Applicant: National Museum in Warsaw
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Kopyciak, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz, Dr Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez
Grant number: K5-2022-02
Project title: Technological research on selected elements of Mordvinian costume from the collections of the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw
Applicant: State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw
Project team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Kopyciak, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz, Dr Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez
Projects selected in the 4th Call for Proposals for technological research and interdisciplinary expert studies to be carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2022
Application number: K4-2021-01
Project title: Technological research on the casket by Christoph Maucher, the most valuable amber object in the collection of the Malbork Castle Museum
Applicant: Malbork Castle Museum
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Elżbieta Kuraś, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Application number: K4-2021-05
Technological analysis of the painting “Portrait of Henry III of Valois” by François Quesnel from the collection of the National Museum in Poznań
Applicant: National Museum in Poznań
Project team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Grant number: K4-2021-03
Interdisciplinary expert assessment of two so-called ‘chocolates’ from the collection of the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
Applicant: Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Grant number: K4-2021-04
Technological research on five objects from the collection of coffin portraits and coat of arms plaques at the Alfa Kowalski Museum of the Międzyrzecz Region in Międzyrzecz
Applicant: Alfa Kowalski Museum of the Międzyrzecz Region in Międzyrzecz
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Maria Labut, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Grant number: K4-2021-02
Examination of the cardboard support and paint layers of Jan Hrynkowski’s painting “Dancer II” from the collection of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom
Applicant: Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Projects selected in the 3rd Call for Proposals in the field of technological research and interdisciplinary expertise, carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2019 and 2021
Application number: K3-2017-08
Project title: Technological research on the Muhir from Bohonik – a talismanic board of the Polish Tatars from the 18th–19th centuries. Reconstruction of the content of this artefact of Tatar art and literature in Poland using modern conservation technologies
Applicant: Podlasie Museum in Białystok
Project team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska, Michał Obarzanowski, Mirosław Żak
Application number: K3-2017-03
Project title: Interdisciplinary conservation research on the five most valuable objects from the collection of the Amber Museum, a branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk
Applicant: Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk
Research team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Elżbieta Kuraś, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Grant number: K3-2017-07
Project title: Research into the attribution of five paintings from the royal collection of paintings at the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
Applicant: Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw
Project team: Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Paulina Krupska-Wolas, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski, Dr Anna Ryguła, Karolina Skóra, Aldona Stępień, Dr Agnieszka Widacka-Bisaga, Dr Tomasz Wilkosz
Projects selected in the 2nd Competition for technological research, conservation strategies and interdisciplinary expert assessments carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2017
Application No.: K2-2016-04
Project title: Technological analysis of the painted panels of the pentaptych “The Five Sorrows of Mary” (1507) – place of execution and provenance of the artists
Applicant: National Museum in Wrocław
Project team: Karolina Budkowska, Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K2-2016-08
Project title: Development of a conservation strategy for works of art exhibited in the Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski Gallery and for Polish paintings in Munich
Applicant: Regional Museum in Suwałki
Project lead: Barbara Świątkowska
Application No.: K2-2016-09
Project title: Conservation, concert use and display of historical pianos from the collection of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute
Applicant: Fryderyk Chopin Institute
Implementing team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Julio del Hoyo-Meléndez, Michał Obarzanowski, Joanna Sobczyk
Application No.: K2-2016-12
Project title: Technological research on 16th-century foreign artefacts from the Lubomirski Princes’ Collection at the Ossoliński National Institute in Wrocław
Applicant: The Ossoliński National Institute in Wrocław
Project team: Dr Julio del Hoyo Meléndez, Joanna Sobczyk
Grant number: K2-2016-13
Project title: Comprehensive conservation research on all elements of the ceiling in the Great Council Hall of Gdańsk Main Town Hall
Applicant: Gdańsk City History Museum
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Anna Klimek, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K2-2016-16
Project title: Research into medieval polychromy in the Gothic Holy Trinity Chapel at Lublin Castle
Applicant: Lublin Museum in Lublin
Research team: Karolina Budkowska, Piotr Frączek, Dr Julio del Hoyo-Meléndez, Dr Barbara Łydżba-Kopczyńska, Michał Obarzanowski, Joanna Sobczyk
Grant number: K2-2016-21
Project title: Technological research on the jewels from the Środa Treasury – Part 1
Applicant: National Museum in Wrocław
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Barbara Łydżba-Kopczyńska, Michał Obarzanowski
Project No.: K2-2016-23
Project title: Development of optimal conditions for the storage and display of a collection of technical drawings
Applicant: Museum of Coal Mining in Zabrze
Project team: Dr Julio del Hoyo Meléndez, Joanna Sobczyk
Project No.: K2-2016-26
Project title: Mirrors from the Hall of Mirrors at Pszczyna Castle – a feat of 19th-century technological thought
Applicant: Pszczyna Castle Museum
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Agata Mendys, Michał Obarzanowski
Projects selected in the 1st Competition for technological research, conservation strategies and interdisciplinary expert studies carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2016 and 2017
Application No.: K1-2015-05
Project title: Carta azzurra – the issue of discolouration of blue paper used in Venice from the second half of the 15th century, as illustrated by drawings by Jacopo Palma the Younger and Jacopo Bassano from the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw
Applicant: National Museum in Warsaw
Project team: Dr Julio del Hoyo-Meléndez, Marta Matosz, Agata Mendys, Michał Obarzanowski, Joanna Sobczyk
Application No.: K1-2015-12
Project title: Research into medieval polychromy in the Gothic Chapel of the Holy Trinity at Lublin Castle
Applicant: Lublin Museum in Lublin
Research team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Julio del Hoyo-Meléndez, Dr Barbara Łydżba-Kopczyńska, Michał Obarzanowski, Joanna Sobczyk
Grant number: K1-2015-01
Project title: Technological research to determine the presence of underdrawing in five 16th-century Netherlandish paintings from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw
Applicant: National Museum in Warsaw
Project team: Dr Agata Mendys, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K1-2015-07
Project title: Portrait of Charles Ferdinand Vasa from the former Jesuit college in Nysa – an attempt to determine authorship
Applicant: District Museum in Nysa
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Julio del Hoyo-Meléndez, Dr Barbara Łydżba-Kopczyńska
Application No.: K1-2015-06
Project title: Expert assessment of the painting “Judith with the Head of Holofernes” from the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder confirming the authenticity of the work
Applicant: District Museum in Nysa
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K1-2015-03
Project title: Technological analysis of the painting “The Capture of Samson” from the collection of the Castle Museum in Pszczyna
Applicant: Castle Museum in Pszczyna
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K1-2015-11
Project title: Technological analysis of a painting by Zofia Stryjeńska
Applicant: National Museum in Kielce
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K1-2015-04
Project title: Portrait of Princess Daisy von Pless on the terrace of Książ Castle by Reginald Arthur (1862–1899) – the mystery of the overpainting
Applicant: Castle Museum in Pszczyna
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Agata Mendys, Michał Obarzanowski
Application No.: K1-2015-02
Project title: Technological research on 16th-century religious paintings on panel from the collection of the Castle Museum in Pszczyna
Applicant: Castle Museum in Pszczyna
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Michał Obarzanowski
Pilot projects in the field of technological research, conservation strategies and interdisciplinary expert assessments carried out by the National Centre for Heritage Research in 2015
Technological research on artefacts
Technological research on the painting “Allegorical Scene” by a follower of Paris Bordone from the Royal Castle at Wawel.
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz
Parameterised conservation documentation comprising photographs across various ranges of electromagnetic radiation: visible (VIS), ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and digital radiography of the painting “The Art Cabinet of Prince Władysław Zygmunt Waza” by an Antwerp painter from the collection of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Michał Obarzanowski
Parameterised conservation documentation comprising photographs in various ranges of electromagnetic radiation: visible (VIS), ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and digital radiography, supplemented by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of the painting “A Game of Chess”, by Sofonisba Anguissola from the collection of the National Museum in Poznań.
Project team: Piotr Frączek, Marta Matosz, Michał Obarzanowski
Development of a conservation strategy for works of art of particular cultural significance
Development of exhibition guidelines and a conservation strategy for Adam Mickiewicz’s manuscript: “Pan Tadeusz”,
a copy of the “Pan Tadeusz” manuscript and Juliusz Słowacki’s manuscript “Album of a Journey to the East”, containing drawings, watercolours, poems and notes from 1835–1837, 5463 from the collection of the Ossoliński National Institute in Wrocław.
Project team: Dr Julio del Hoyo Meléndez, Joanna Sobczyk
Interdisciplinary Expertise
Research comprising non-invasive analysis, studies of pigments and binders, and a comparative analysis of the physicochemical test results for the triptych “The Last Judgement” from the workshop of Hieronymus Bosch, from the collection of the Royal Castle at Wawel.
Research team: Piotr Frączek, Dr Anna Klisińska-Kopacz, Dr Agata Mendys, Michał Obarzanowski
