in 1998, clarke and john edwards donated the contents of the artist francis bacon's studio to the hugh lane gallery in dublin. the studio at 7 reece mews had remained largely untouched since bacon's death in 1992, and the decision was taken to preserve it for posterity. a team of archaeologists, art historians, conservators and curators moved the studio, wholesale, to dublin. the locations of over 7,000 items were mapped, survey drawings made, the items packed and catalogued, and the studio was rebuilt, including the original doors, floor, walls and ceiling. in 2001 the relocated studio was opened to the public, with a fully comprehensive database, the first computerised record of the entire contents of an artist's studio.