The Penn Doom: The re‐examination and conservation of an important medieval painting on wood

Abstract

The Penn Doom is one of only five surviving medieval Last Judgement paintings in the UK executed on wood. It was discovered in 1938, restored and documented by E. Clive Rouse. The3‐m wide painting, found in Holy Trinity church in the Buckinghamshire village of Penn, is a palimpsest, consisting of three distinct schemes, the second being partly a reworking of the first. In 1999, the Penn Trust and members of the church commissioned a re‐examination of the Doom for the purpose of conservation. The opportunity was taken to use extensive technical analysis not necessarily available to the earlier restorer. The results of dendrochronology, X‐radiography infrared reflectography pigment and medium analysis are described here, and throw new light on the age, positioning, context and history of the object, including possible reasons for the repainting. Digital imaging was used as a non‐destructive method of gaining a clearer visual understanding of the first scheme. The conservation treatment consisted of surface cleaning, removal of the 1950s wood support and 1 960s infill, repair with fish glue ana balsa, paint consolidation with Paraloid B‐72, and the design of a new aluminium support. The decision to infill large lacunae with distressed and painted jelutong wood was reached through joint discussions with the commissioners of the project.