Faked, Forgotten, Found showcases conservators’ forensic analysis of five Renaissance paintings in the museum’s collection that have undergone significant scientific analysis and conservation. The discoveries about each work are presented through extensive multimedia documentation, highlighting a fascinating but little-seen aspect of museum practice. Learn how curators and conservators discovered a portrait of Isabella de’ Medici attributed to Alessandro Allori beneath the surface of a work repainted in the 19th century, or how to tell the museum’s genuine painting by Francesco Francia of the Virgin and Child apart from later imitations and copies. The exhibition offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the intersection of art and science taking place in the museum every day.

This exhibition is organized by Lulu Lippincott, curator of fine arts, and Ellen Baxter, chief conservator.