Welcome back to Stories in Colour! And welcome to the first episode of our new miniseries in which we'll be telling the story of a rare, sparkling and glistening colour – or should we say material?

Join Nelly von Aderkas from the National Gallery’s Scientific department and host Beks as they dive into the ancient origins of gold! From colliding supernovas to the tomb of Tutankhamun and the man with the Midas touch, we will be exploring the materiality of gold, where this precious metal comes from and its symbolism in art and literature.

Nelly is a Specialist Scientist and Organic Analyst at the National Gallery with a background in paintings conservation.

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Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z2Xr4O8sqE

You can email us with any questions via [email protected]

Find out more about the podcast on our website: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/podcast

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Paintings mentioned:

Jacopo di Cione, 'The Crucifixion', about 1369-70. The National Gallery, London https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jacopo-di-cione-the-crucifixion  

Nicolas Poussin, 'Midas Washing at the Source of the Pactolus', ca. 1627. The Metropolitan Museum of Art https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437328 

Jean-François de Troy, 'The Capture of the Golden Fleece', 1742-3. The National Gallery, London https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jean-francois-de-troy-the-capture-of-the-golden-fleece  

Nicolas Poussin, 'The Adoration of the Golden Calf', 1633-4. The National Gallery, London https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/nicolas-poussin-the-adoration-of-the-golden-calf  

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Further reading:

Discover more on gold in the National Gallery’s collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diJUaHMnazU https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvb2y26xK6Y6T7IfNAc1jMa_zMoX231MX

Find out more about gold in Jacopo di Cione’s 'The Crucifixion': https://artsandculture.google.com/story/4gUB2kjMQI3paA

Find out more about Tutankhamun's Golden Burial Mask: https://gem.eg/en/collection/artefacts/the-golden-burial-mask-of-tutankhamun

Find out more about Tutankhamun's coffins: https://egypt-museum.com/innermost-coffin-of-tutankhamun/

Take a look at Egyptian coffins in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum: https://egyptiancoffins.org/coffin-catalogue

Cennino Cennini, 'Il libro dell'arte', written late 14th century

Kassia St Clair, 'The Secret Lives of Colour', 2016

J.R.R. Tolkein, 'The Hobbit', 1937

Apollonius Rhodius, 'Argonautica', written around 3rd century BC

[Author unknown], 'Beowulf', [date unknown]

Ovid, 'Metamorphoses', composed around 8th century AD

Stephen Fry, 'Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined', 2021

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Episode credits:

Guest: Nelly von Aderkas

Host and executive producer: Beks Leary  

Producer: Harry Rosehill  

Researcher: Hannah Rogers  

Technicians: Ian Warren and Timothy Carpenter

Video Producer: Jeanne Kenyon

Video Editor: Alessandro Sorenti

Theme music: Theo Elwell