Vermeer van Delft is considered to be the most important painter of Dutch life in the so-called Golden Age. Many studies of his paintings have dealt with deciphering concealed connections and symbolic references. The research has up to now assumed that the philosophy of Spinoza and Descartes may have influenced the painter. Andreas Prater, in contrast, shows that and how particular maxims and sentences by Epicurus and his Latin successor Lucretius were incorporated in Vermeer's paintings. Epicurus was rediscovered in the seventeenth century and his doctrines of joy and desire, which had fallen into disrepute for a long time, rehabilitated. The hitherto neglected and unknown aspects make the work of the great Dutch painter appear in an entirely new light.

The painting technique and artist's materials of the renowned Expressionist Emil Nolde (1867-1956) have been examined for the first time by an interdisciplinary team of restorers, art historians, and scientists. The research included an evaluation of Nolde's studio estate and his text sources from the perspective of art technology, as well as detailed microscopic, imaging, and material-analysis examinations of his paintings. Known as a master of coloring, the choice of canvas, primer, and paint, as well as diverse application techniques are essential to the effect of his pictures. The impressive spectrum of Nolde's working methods and his struggle to arrive at artistic solutions are explained clearly based on forty-four works from all the phases of his long career. Exhibitions: Hamburger Kunsthalle, October 16, 2021 until April 18, 2022 Emil Nolde. Meine Art zu malen..., Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, March 31, 2022 until February 28, 2023 Presentation in the Nolde Stiftung Seebull, expected from summer 2022