Conservation/Research

London is rightly renowned as a centre for conservation and research, particularly for works from 15th Century Northern Europe, including the Netherlandish territories of Burgundy.

Many works, even those on permanent display, are still being understood and need regular assessment to guard against light and atmosphere damage.

Other works are even more fragile, such as works on paper and fabrics.

Although the 15th Century Netherlands was a prodigious producer of tapestries and other fabrics, such as liturgical vestments and banners, few of these works have survived and of those that have many are in a poor condition.

Accordingly painstaking work is being carried out to try and conserve what has come down to us and by way of example follow the link to see the work that the V&A is carrying out to conserve a tapestry dated to 1475-1490 from Tournai and depicting scenes from the War of Troy here.