In May 2025, the RKD will be organizing a short course on watermark analysis using digital tools. The four-day course will be offered twice and will be led by Prof. Rick Johnson, pioneer in computational art history and professor emeritus at Cornell University. The short course is suitable for both art history students (MA/PhD), curators and other art historians who work with art on paper.
Analysis of watermarks
Watermarks are an important tool in researching the origin, production and dating of artworks on paper. The short course Watermarks & Computational Art History offers MA/PhD students, curators and other art historians the opportunity to gain insight into the analysis of watermarks in paper using digital tools. During this four-day course (being offered on two different weeks) you will receive a thorough introduction to watermark research. The focus will be on the technical and practical aspects of identifying and comparing watermarks, with the aim of learning to use specially developed tools and improving and applying so-called watermark libraries in art-historical research. A maximum of twelve people can participate in the course per week. When registering, you will be asked to provide a short motivation, which will be decisive for admission.
Philips Koninck, Three nuns standing, 1662, drawing, collection Teylers Museum, and the watermark on this drawing.
The short course is part of the research project Watermarks. This project uses innovative digital tools and image processing techniques to improve the process of watermark identification and comparison. The project uses the Watermark Imaging System (WIMSy), a mobile device that can scan drawings and their structures, including watermarks, in a matter of minutes.
How to apply
Please submit a C.V. and a letter of interest (max. 650 words), highlighting your experience in the field of art on paper, outlining your familiarity (if any) with the subject of the workshop, and explaining how the workshop will contribute to the fulfillment of your scholarly, curatorial, and/or professional goals. Preference will be given to MA/PhD students and early-career curatorial professionals (curators, curatorial or research assistants/associates, postdoctoral fellows).
You can register until 31 March 2025 at the latest via events@rkd.nl. Please also indicate your preferred week (week 1 or week 2).
Program
Day 1: Introduction – History and use of watermarks in dating techniques.
Day 2: Practice – Working with digital tools for watermark analysis.
Day 3: Practice – Building a structured watermark library.
Day 4: Application – Independent research and assignments with case studies.
Plus: Friday afternoon 16 May – Public lecture by Prof. Rick Johnson and Dr. Rob Fucci.
Courses take place either from 12 through 15 May or 19 through 22 May.
Information and registration are available on the RKD website.