缅北强奸

What began as a routine study of a panel painting quickly transformed into a cross-disciplinary investigation blending art history, science and student-driven discovery. 

鈥淭his artwork that we now recognize at St. Ursula was donated anonymously in 1969 and is considered the first object in the University Art Collection,鈥� says Susan Sauls, Director of University Art Collection. 鈥淭he donor presented Dr. David Rice with several paintings and asked that one be selected as an outright gift to the University. Rice noted in a letter to the donor that Hinton and Sclarenco based their selection on the educational value to the Arts and Humanities department as well as for its aesthetic value.鈥� 

It had already been observed that the panel painting, stored in the Lawrence Library in the Liberal Arts Building, was likely mislabeled and stylistically unusual. Though identified as St. Dorothea, key iconographic details suggested the figure was instead St. Ursula, and the work itself did not align neatly with typical Italian devotional paintings from around 1400. These questions made the piece an ideal focus for Dr. Sommer Hallquist鈥檚 special studies course, designed to introduce students to both traditional and technical methods in art history, allowing them to engage with an object that invited further investigation from the outset. 

Through careful analysis, students began to challenge the painting鈥檚 identification. Key details, such as a protective cloak sheltering smaller figures and the presence of a banner, pointed instead to St. Ursula, a Christian martyr often depicted with the Eleven Thousand Virgins. The composition appeared to include St. Ursula alongside 10 of these figures, a symbolic subset of the Eleven Thousand Virgins, suggesting the painting had been misidentified for decades. 

That revelation opened the door to a deeper and more complex question: When was this painting actually created? 

Although appraisal reports from 1969 attributed the work to the Sienese School around 1400, stylistic inconsistencies raised doubts. To investigate further, 缅北强奸 students moved beyond traditional art historical methods and into the realm of technical art history. 

Using a range of analytical approaches, including examination under raking light and ultraviolet light, the class searched for evidence of restoration or alteration. Their most significant step came through collaboration with the 缅北强奸 Department of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences. 

On March 20, the painting was transported to the Health Professions Center, where radiology students and faculty took several X-rays of the panel. This process allowed the Art and Design students to look beneath the visible surface of the painting, searching for pentimenti, hidden changes made by the artist during the painting process. 

Because many historical pigments contain metals such as lead, earlier compositions or adjustments can often be detected through X-radiography as bright white forms beneath the surface layer. 

In this case, however, the results were surprising. 

The X-rays revealed no clear evidence of overpainting or compositional changes. What is visible to the naked eye appears to reflect the artist鈥檚 original intent. This finding is significant, as it suggests the painting鈥檚 unusual iconographic features are not later additions, but part of the initial design. 

As a result, the investigation has shifted direction. Rather than asking how the painting may have been altered over time, students are now considering whether the work itself could be a later creation produced in a 15th-century style. 

The research is ongoing, and the next phase will take place off campus. On April 23, Hallquist and her students traveled with the painting to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, where they consulted with professional conservators to further evaluate their findings. 

鈥淢y students have made significant contributions to the study of this panel, both in examining the X-radiographs and UV images and in undertaking their own independent research on the work,鈥� says Hallquist. 鈥淟isa Ryan-Hutton is researching the painting style of the work to narrow down its time and place of creation, Amy Elsner is researching the frame to discover when it was made and joined with the current painting, Abbey Rodocker is developing a printed guide to imaging techniques in technical art history for future students and Baron Stevens is investigating the provenance of the artwork to find out how it made its way to Evansville from its place of creation.鈥� 

Beyond the questions surrounding the painting鈥檚 origin, the project highlights the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in student learning. By working alongside experts in radiologic and imaging sciences, students gained firsthand experience with scientific tools and methods not typically encountered in an art history classroom. 

Radiology students and faculty, accustomed to scanning only human body parts, found the process of studying the ancient artwork an interesting experience and were just as amazed as the art students by the amount of detail uncovered on the X-rays. 

"By using radiologic imaging techniques to support art historical research, our students were able to see how scientific tools can illuminate questions far beyond medicine,鈥� said Dr. Joy Cook, Associate Professor and Chair of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Hallquist and her students, and I hope experiences like this inspire students to seek out cross disciplinary partnerships throughout their academic and professional careers.鈥�  

This sentiment was echoed by Hallquist. 鈥淭his kind of collaboration helps keep scholarly curiosity alive in our students,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd hopefully encourages them to reach out to people in other fields and learn from them.鈥� 

Hallquist鈥檚 special studies course was designed not only to study a single object, but to introduce students to the growing field of technical art history, where scientific analysis and humanistic inquiry intersect. For students interested in careers in conservation or museum work, the experience offers a valuable glimpse into the investigative processes behind the scenes. 

These students gained a hands-on exploration of how we interpret the past, test assumptions and uncover new possibilities through collaboration. 

And the mystery of the St. Ursula panel is far from over. 

Check out the from the X-ray day here.