GoGreen presenting at the JAAP conference in Amsterdam

Earlier this month, PhD researcher Sander van Lith (UvA) presented his cutting-edge work: “From Laboratory Findings to Predicting Long-term Chemical Change in an Oil Paint” at the JAAP conference in Amsterdam.

The conference ‘Journey into the Ageing & Alterations of Paintings’ (JAAP) was presented by The Netherlands Institute for Conservation+Art+Science+ (NICAS) at the Rijksmuseum on the 3rd and 4th of April 2025. The conference highlights the intersection of molecular science and paintings conservation – and Sander’s research from GoGreen was highlighted amongst colleagues from around the world.

His research aims to optimize indoor climate conditions for oil paintings—reducing the need for strict environmental controls while still preserving these delicate masterpieces. By artificially ageing oil paints under various humidities and temperatures, and creating his own paints from pigments and binders, Sander is building a damage function—a predictive model showing how environmental conditions affect oil paint chemistry and mechanical behavior over time.

While metal soaps are known to cause embrittlement, the impact of other pigments on the mechanical properties of historical paints is still a mystery. The relationship between paint chemistry and deformation under stress is complex, but critical for conservation.

With these insights, museums and conservators can adjust climate settings more effectively—protecting artworks while saving energy.