Publications, Presentations, and Workshops
Publications
Articles:
Lien Acke, Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, and Evonne Levy, "Virtually connecting Bernini’s bronzes: Best practices, challenges, and preliminary results of processing a large database of 3D scans." In Cultural Connections in Conservation. ICOM-CC 21st Triennial Conference, Oslo, Norway. September 14-18, 2026. ed. J. Bridgland. Paris: International Council of Museums. PDF. Available at https://www.icom-cc.org/en/publications
Evonne Levy, "Bernini, the Materials of Sculpture, and Race," Art History 48, no. 3 (2025): 538-566.
Essays in Exhibition Catalogues:
Evonne Levy, "Bernini e i fonditori : i bronzi di e per Urbano VIII," in Bernini e I Barberini, ed. Andrea Bacchi and Maurizia Cicconi (Allemandi, 2026), 128-141. English edition forthcoming.
Presentations
Evonne Levy, “The Technical Study of Bernini’s Bronzes: Work in Progress,” Work in Progress, Graduate Department of Art History, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. February 27, 2026.
Evonne Levy, “An Art Historian’s Perspective on Technical Studies: Bernini’s Bronzes,” Ruffin Lecture, Rhodes College, Memphis, TE. November 13, 2025.
Evonne Levy, "Bernini, Materials, and Race," presented at the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History, Rome, Italy. May 27, 2024.
Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, and Evonne Levy, “The Technical Study of Bernini’s Bronzes: A Work in Progress Talk,” American Academy in Rome, Rome Italy. May 20, 2024.
Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, and Evonne Levy, “The Technical Study of Bernini’s Bronzes: Art History, Conservation, Material Science,” Musei Vaticani (lecture for conservators and curators), Vatican City. November 18, 2022.
Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, and Evonne Levy, "The Technical Study of Bernini’s Bronzes: Art History, Conservation, Material Science," presented at the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History. November 17, 2022.
Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, Evonne Levy, Branden Rizzuto, “Bernini’s Bronzes: Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums,” Strauss Conservation Center, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, MA. October 27, 2022.
Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, Evonne Levy, “Preliminary Findings on the National Gallery of Victoria Bernini Bronzes” and roundtable with Ian Mcleod, Jaynie Anderson and Laurie Benson. Grimwade Center for Cultural Materials Conservation, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. July 30, 2022.
Evonne Levy, “Introduction to The Technical Study of Bernini’s Bronzes,” Grimwade Center for Cultural Materials Conservation, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. July 25 2022.
Collaboration with the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials, Conservation, University of Melbourne
The Bernini's Bronzes research team — Jane Bassett, Lisa Ellis, and Evonne Levy — travelled to Melbourne and Canberra in July–August 2022 to conduct technical studies of three Bernini bronze sculptures: the Bust of Richelieu and Mathilde of Tuscany at the National Gallery of Victoria, and St. Agnes at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The collaborative grant between the University of Toronto and the University of Melbourne, organized in Australia by Jonathan Kemp at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, offered the fortunate opportunity to integrate this primary research activity into a rich training experience for Australian conservation students.
The Grimwade Centre hosted a well-attended public introductory talk, followed by a day-long series of seminars and discussion for students and invited experts. Other specialists on the project contributed from afar to the latter event, including Aaron Shugar, Professor of Conservation Science at SUNY Buffalo State; Branden Rizzuto from the University of Toronto; David Bougarit, archaeometallurgist at the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF) in Paris; and Chandra Reedy, Professor and Director of the Center for Historic Architecture and Design at the University of Delaware. A lively panel discussion moderated by Jonathan Kemp rounded out the day, with Evonne, Lisa, and Jane joined by Jaynie Anderson, Professor Emeritus of art history and specialist in Italian Renaissance painting; Ian MacLeod, renowned conservation scientist and specialist in metals corrosion; and Chris Davey, archaeometallurgist and Director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology — to debate further aspects of the materiality and authorship of Bernini's bronzes.
Beyond the lectures, smaller groups of students selected by Grimwade faculty were able to directly observe the Bernini's Bronzes team conducting hands-on technical studies at both museums, working alongside Di Whittle at the NGV, and Lucina Ward and Sarah McHugh at the NGA. Students actively participated in discussions and witnessed firsthand how an experienced team integrates technical data with art historical research.
Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants valued the rare opportunity to observe the research team working in real time: "Any chance to observe highly trained professionals while they work is highly valuable," wrote one student, while another described it as "truly such a privilege." Many highlighted the benefit of seeing the full arc of a multidisciplinary project — from discussion and documentation through to technical analysis — and of experiencing the lectures and hands-on sessions in tandem. As one student reflected: "What I found most interesting was seeing how a 'proper' research project was actually carried out. I didn't really understand how involved and thorough the process would be, nor how slow or methodical… It also highlighted the benefits of group work to me, as each of you seemed to notice slightly different things, and build on each other's observations." The integration of art historical and technical perspectives was equally striking: "The idea that details such as mounting mechanisms or the degree of cold working can hint to individual foundries or workers was new and exciting to me."
For students who also attended the Grimwade Masterclass, exposure to specialist techniques at the NGV made a particular impression. One wrote: "I have been exposed to XRF throughout my course but never seen it used in a professional research setting. I was grateful to Lisa [Ellis] for sharing with us the trials and tribulations of the technology… I'm hoping to include this technology in my own research." For those who travelled to Canberra for the NGA study, the experience was equally formative. Another student wrote: "It was fascinating to see how the three team members worked together, finessing their process and working to each other's strengths… Things I had only known in theory came to life." She also noted the importance of the less formal interactions: "Many of the most enlightening, candid and engaging conversations took part over meals and walks to and from venues — the social aspects of such an event cannot be overstated."
The Bernini's Bronzes team is enormously grateful to Jonathan Kemp, Robyn Sloggett, Tim Ould, and the Grimwade Centre for making this visit possible, and extends its warmest thanks to all the NGV staff involved, especially Michael Varcoe-Cocks, Laurie Benson, and Di Whittle, and to Lucina Ward and Sarah McHugh at the NGA, for their generosity in engaging with students and helping to make the trip a great success. Looking ahead, the institutions anticipate further collaboration between the two teams, including a possible exhibition built around the research, with every effort to involve Grimwade students in future work with the two Australian museums.
