Artist drawings and paper conservation | Behind the scenes at Royal Museums Greenwich

#AntiqueRestoration"Transmitted light – shining a light through the surface of an artwork – is a helpful technique when examining artists' drawings, allowing conservators to see things that would otherwise be invisible.

""Having a light beneath the drawing allows us to see evidence in the thickness of the paper and examine the watermark designs,"" explains Emmanuelle Largeteau, Paper Conservation Manager.

See what she discovered while examining the Van de Velde drawings collection at Royal Museums Greenwich.

Willem van de Velde the Elder and his son Willem van de Velde the Younger were the leading marine painters of the 17th century.

From their studio in the Queen’s House, father and son transformed marine painting in Britain. Yet their paintings only tell part of the story.

Royal Museums Greenwich is home to almost 1,500 drawings by the Van de Veldes. A Sea of Drawings explores this unique collection, and provides fresh insight into how the Van de Veldes worked."