Tours & Events

Behind the Scenes in Conservation at the National Gallery

Go behind the scenes at London’s National Gallery with conservator Dr Kristina Mandy. This special online lecture explores the fascinating work of conservation and the expertise required to study, preserve and care for some of the world’s greatest paintings, revealing what happens beyond the gallery walls.

Hosted By: Art History in Focus
Speaker: Dr Kristina Mandy
Date & Time: Monday, 30 November 2026, 6:00 PM GMT
Format: Live Online Guest Lecture
Source Credit: Art History in Focus / The National Gallery, London

Join Art History in Focus for a special online guest lecture with Dr Kristina Mandy, conservator at the National Gallery in London, offering a rare opportunity to explore the work that takes place behind the scenes of one of the world’s great art collections.

Conservation plays a vital role in understanding and safeguarding works of art for future generations. Through close examination, technical research and careful treatment, conservators can reveal details about an artist’s materials and working methods that are often invisible to the naked eye.

Drawing on her work at the National Gallery, Dr Mandy will offer insight into this highly specialised field and the processes involved in studying, caring for and preserving historic paintings. The lecture provides a fascinating perspective on the relationship between art history, scientific investigation and hands-on conservation, and the expertise required to protect works in a major museum collection.

Presented live online by Art History in Focus, the event offers audiences the opportunity to look beyond the finished paintings displayed in the galleries and discover some of the research and conservation work that allows us to understand them in new ways.