Wednesday 30 October 2013

The Leutwitz Apollo: Henry Lie's observations

Paul Barford has commented on Henry Lie's apparently visual examination of the Leutwitz Apollo on 17-18 October 2003. Lie is the director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at Harvard University.

Lie and Carol C. Mattusch wrote an essay, "Introduction to the catalogue entries and technical observations" for the Fire of Hephaistos catalogue. (See also my comments on this exhibition on JSTOR.)

They note "the emphasis is likely to be analysis of the metal and the corrosion products" (p. 162) not just visual observation. Did Lie use "a small diameter probe with video capability" (p. 165) on the Leutwitz Apollo? Lie even notes the "in-house" radiography facility at Cleveland (p. 166). There is also a section on "Lead joins" (p. 168), and another on "Ancient Bases" (p. 176).

All this makes the absence of x-rays, detailed images, and detailed scientific reports all the more surprising in Bennett's publication.


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