A new exhibition at the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham, titled *Revealing Genius, Conserving Art: Stanley Spencer’s Final Masterpiece*, offers visitors a rare chance to watch conservator Olivia Leake work on Spencer’s unfinished painting *Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta*. The large canvas, which Spencer labored over for over a decade but left incomplete at his death in 1959, has been lowered from its usual high hanging for live conservation. Using UV light and paint analysis, Leake has discovered surprising details: extremely thin paint layers, a green water area later overpainted in blue, and multiple changes to underdrawings—contradicting anecdotes that Spencer never altered his initial drawings.
This matters because it demystifies conservation and makes the process accessible to the public, highlighting the skill and science behind preserving major artworks. The revelations also deepen understanding of Spencer’s working methods and his urgency to finish the piece before his death, while the live format underscores the importance of arts funding and behind-the-scenes expertise. The exhibition turns a conservation project into an engaging educational event, connecting audiences directly with art-historical discovery.