Heritage Science at the British Museum

Name: Capucine Korenberg Psychotherapy
Price range: ££

Before embarking on my journey as a psychotherapist, I trained as a physicist and found my calling in heritage science through a deep love for art. For over two decades, I have worked as a Senior Scientist at the British Museum in London.

My scientific research focuses on the preservation and technical analysis of the Museum's collection, with a specific interest in Japanese ukiyo-e prints and paintings. My work bridges the gap between hard science and art history, bringing new physical insights to the traditional connoisseurship of historical masterpieces.

For academic enquiries: ckorenberg@britishmuseum.org

Sequencing The Great Wave

My groundbreaking research into Hokusai's The Great Wave involves analysing the subtle differences between the 111+ known original impressions held in collections worldwide. By examining how the woodblocks wore down over time, specifically tracking the degradation of fine lines in the mountain and water, I have been able to establish the chronological sequence of their production.

This technical analysis provides a physical timeline for Hokusai's most famous work, revealing how the woodblock evolved through thousands of printings and providing new diagnostic tools for museums to authenticate and date their own impressions.

Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave’: tracking the woodblock’s evolution

Red Fuji: five states of an icon

Hokusai’s Fine Wind, Clear Morning (universally known as ‘Red Fuji’) is one of the most celebrated images in the history of art. Yet until recently, no systematic chronology existed for its many surviving impressions.

My research, published in npj Heritage Science (a Nature-branded peer-reviewed journal), identified five distinct sequential states of Red Fuji by combining woodblock wear analysis with non-destructive colourant characterisation. The earliest impressions feature muted, nuanced colours and complex printing effects. As the woodblocks wore down across thousands of printings, the colour schemes shifted, until the remarkable final state: the near-mythical Blue Fuji, in which the mountain appears in a stark, icy blue.

Read the published research →

Japanese woodblock print from the Metropolitan Museum collection

Most recent research (2025): Applying the same methodology to Hiroshige’s The Plum Garden at Kameido, I examined 82 surviving impressions of this celebrated Edo landscape, establishing the first systematic production chronology of a Hiroshige print. Read the MDPI paper →

The science of preservation

The dark side of the gallery: protecting sensitive prints

Why are Japanese print exhibitions often shrouded in darkness? In this research focus, I explain the chemical vulnerability of 18th- and 19th-century organic dyes. Exposure to even moderate light can cause irreversible fading and physical degradation of the paper and pigments. My work involves calculating precise "light budgets" to ensure these fragile masterpieces survive for centuries to come.