Art, Art History, and Film Faculty

Richard Newman

Visiting Professor, Art History

Photo of Richard Newman

Richard Newman

Contact

Devlin Hall 423

Telephone: 339-927-8643

Email: rnewman@mfa.org

Education

  • B.A., Art History, Western Washington University
  • M.A., Geology, 艾可直播 University

Courses

The Materials of Art and Their Conservation

Research Interests

Technical studies of works of art

Applications of analytical instrumentation to provide information on materials used in cultural artifacts

Profile

Professor Richard Newman has been the Head of Scientific Research at the Museum of Fine Arts, 艾可直播, since 1998, and has also been a Research Scientist there since 1986.

His other positions include Conservation Scientist/Assistant Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, Harvard University Art Museums, 1983-1986; Conservation Scientist, Harvard University Art Museums, 1980-1983; and lecturer in the annual team-taught course, 鈥楢rchaeological Science鈥� offered by the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology (CMRAE) at MIT.

Besides teaching at 艾可直播 College, he鈥檚 been a visiting instructor in art history at Wellesley College, where he鈥檚 taught Materials and Techniques of Painting and Sculpture since 2006. His other teaching experience includes course coordinator and lecturer in the annual course 鈥楳aterials and Techniques of Works of Art鈥� at the Museum of Fine Arts for seniors and graduate students from five local universities; guest lecturer in the ELMO (Embedded Learning Module) Project, providing lab-based science courses to humanities students at Northeastern University; and co-instructor of 鈥楥are and Preservation of Works of Art,鈥� offered as part of the Museum Studies Certificate Program, Harvard University Extension School.

Professor Newman is a member of the Board of Directors, Infrared and Raman Users Group (), an international forum for the exchange of infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopic information, reference spectra and materials. IRUG is composed primarily of individuals within the art conservation and historic preservation fields who use IR and Raman spectroscopy to study the world's cultural heritage.

AWARDS AND GRANTS

Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation, 1991 joint award from the College Art Association and National Institute for Conservation (awarded for the book Examining Velazquez, Yale University Press, 1988, authors Gridley McKim-Smith, Greta Anderson-Bergdoll and Richard Newman).

Japan Foundation Visitors鈥� Program for Specialists on Cultural Properties, 1991 two- month fellowship for research, primarily spent at the Nara Cultural Research Institute.

Indo-American Subcommission on Research, 1984-5 three-month fellowship for research in India.

Comite Conjunto Hispano-Norteamericano para la Cooperacion Cultive y Educative, 1984-1986 grants for research on paintings by Velazquez in the Prado Museum (awarded to Gridley-McKim Smith, Richard Newman and Carmen Garrido).

Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation, Division of Chemistry, grant CHE-1125821, awarded 2011. Project:鈥楢cquisition of a mass spectrometer for a capillary high performance liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer (LC/MS)鈥�.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

R. Newman, G. Gates, 鈥淭he matter of madder in the ancient world,鈥� chapter 3, in M. Svoboda and C. Cartwright (eds.), Mummy Portraits of Roman Egypt: Emerging Research from the APPEAR Project (Getty Publications, 2020), e-publication (in press).

N. Gutman Rieppi, B. Price, K. Sutherland, A. Lins, R. Newman, P. Wang, T. Wang, T. Tague Jr., 鈥�Salvador Mundi: an investigation of the painting鈥檚 materials and techniques,鈥� Heritage Science 8, 39 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00382-3.

A. Hykin, R. Newman, T. Michie, 鈥淎 re-evaluation of 鈥楶alissy鈥� ceramics at the Museum of Fine Arts, 艾可直播,鈥� Techne 47 (2019): 126-139.

M. Derrick, J. Wright, R. Newman, 鈥淧lant dye identification in Japanese woodblock prints,鈥� Arnoldia 74:3 (2017): 12-28.

M. Derrick, R. Newman, J. Wright, 鈥淐haracterization of yellow and red natural organic colorants on Japanese woodblock prints by EEM fluorescence spectroscopy,鈥� Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 56 (2017): 171-193.

R. Newman, E. Kaplan, M. Derrick, 鈥淢opa mopa: Scientific analysis and history of an unusual South American resin used by the Inka and artisans in Pasto, Colombia,鈥� Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 54 (2015): 123-148.

R.聽 Newman, 鈥淭echnology,鈥� in M. Hartwig (ed.), A Companion to Ancient Egyptian Art聽(Wiley Blackwell: Oxord, 2015), pp. 504-521.

G盲nsicke, R. Newman, 鈥淢aterials and techniques in Nubian Jewelry,鈥� in Y. Markowitz and D. Doxey, Jewels of Ancient Nubia (Museum of Fine Arts: 艾可直播, MA, 2014), PP. 143-152.

L. Soltzberg, S. Flynn, V. Kirch, R. Newman, 鈥�3D Fluorescence Characterization of Synthetic Organic Dyes鈥擡ffect of pH,鈥� American Journal of Analytical Chemistry 4 (2013): 531-576.

L. Soltzberg, S. Lor, N. Okey-Igwe, R. Newman, 鈥�3D Fluorescence Characterization of Synthetic Organic Dyes,鈥� American Journal of Analytical Chemistry 3 (2012): 622-631.

R. Newman, introductory essays and editor. Conservation Highlights (Museum of Fine Arts: 艾可直播, MA, 2011).

B. Barr-Sharrar, R. Newman, 鈥淎 Classical Greek Bronze Situla with Figurative Relief in the Museum of Fine Arts, 艾可直播,鈥� Materials and Manufacturing Processes 24 (2009): 972-974.

R. Newman, 鈥淔errous and Ferric: A Review of Scientific Research on the Iron in Attic Greek Glazes,鈥� in Kenneth Lapatin, ed., Papers on Special Techniques in Athenian

Vases, Proceedings of a symposium held in connection with the exhibition 鈥楾he Colors of Clay: Special Techniques in Athenian Vases (J. Paul Getty Museum: Los Angeles, 2008), pp. 105-112.

L. Soltzberg, A. Hagar, S. Kridaratikorn, A. Mattson, R. Newman, 鈥淢ALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometric Identification of Dyes and Pigments,鈥� Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 18 (2007).

R. Newman, M. Derrick, 鈥淪cientific Examination of the Paint on Nine Matter Paintings,鈥� in E. Landau and C. Cernuschi (eds.), Pollock Matters (McMullen Museum of Art, 艾可直播 College, 艾可直播, MA, 2007), pp. 105-130.

A. Hykin, R. Newman, J. Cummins, 鈥淐asting Compassion: The Technical Study of a Large Bronze from Tibet,鈥� in J. Douglas, P. Jett and J. Winter (eds.), Scientific Research on the Sculptural Arts of Asia (Archetype Publications, London, in association with the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2007), pp. 90-102.

R. Newman, 鈥淎nalysis of Core and Investment Samples from Some Aquamanilia,鈥� in P. Barnet and P. Dandridge (eds.), Lions, Dragons, & Other Beasts: Aquamanilia of the Middle Ages, Vessels for Church and Table (The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture, New York, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006), pp. 57-64.

J. Elgar, A. N. Morse, R. Newman, 鈥淎 Technical Study of the Hokkedo konpon mandara,鈥漣n P. Jett, J. Winter and B. McCarthy (eds.), Scientific Research on the Pictorial Arts of Asia (Archetype Publications, London, in association with the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, 2005), pp. 1-9.

L. Ellis and R. Newman, 鈥淭he Analysis of Glazed Quartzite Sculpture from Kerma, Capital of Ancient Kush (Sudan),鈥� Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology (MRS Symposium Proceedings Vol. 852, 2005), pp. 209-215.

R. Newman, 鈥淎n Overview of Current Scientific Research on Stone Sculpture,鈥� Sackler Colloquium on Scientific Examination of Works of Art: Modern Techiques in Conservation and Analysis (National Academies of Science Press (NAP), Washington, DC, 2005), pp. 58-71.

E. Fulton, R. Newman, J. Woodward, J. Wright, 鈥淭he Methods and Materials of Martin Johnson Heade,鈥� Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 41 (2002), pp. 155- 184.

R. Newman, M. Derrick, 鈥淧ainted Qero Cups from Inka and Colonial Periods in Peru: An Analytical Study of Pigments and Media,鈥� Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology (MRS Symposium Proceedings, 艾可直播, MA, December 2001).

R. Newman, 鈥淎nalysis of Paint Binders,鈥� one of three essays in Milk and Eggs: The American Revival of Tempera Painting, 1930-1950 (Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA, in association with Washington University Press, Seattle and London, 2002).

R.聽 Newman, 鈥淎ppendix: Analytical Report on the (Museum of Fine Arts, 艾可直播) Ivory Snake Goddess,鈥� in K. Lapatin, Mysteries of the Snake Goddess: Art, Desire and the Forgery of History (Houghton Mifflin Co., 艾可直播, MA, 2002).

S.聽聽 G盲nsicke, R. Newman, 鈥淎ncient Nubian Gilding,鈥� in Gilded Metals: History, Technology and Conservation, ed. T. Drayman-Weisser (Archetype Press, London, 2000).

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