Innovative non-invasive techniques for integrated imaging diagnostics of paintings and data analysis
Author(s)
Colantonio, Claudia
Date Issued
June 24, 2020
Type
Doctoral Thesis
Abstract
In the wide and complex field of Heritage studies, scientific non-invasive investigations for a proper diagnostic evaluation of artworks is by now an essential research branch for cultural heritage understanding and conservation. In the last 10 years, engineering methods fully exploited in material characterization and industrial processes were applied to artworks together with traditional chemical and physical laboratory techniques, in order to characterize art and restoration materials and support monitoring operations. At the same time, new innovative imaging techniques specifically dedicated to fragile and unique objects belonging to cultural heritage were developed.
In this doctoral research thesis, a sophisticated multispectral imaging system called Hypercolorimetric Multispectral Imaging (HMI) and a specific setup of pulsed thermography known as Pulse-Compression Thermography (PuCT) were for the first time applied in a combined approach on ancient paintings on different material support. The opportunity to test these innovative non-invasive diagnostic techniques was gained through a cooperation agreement with Italian company and HMI developer Profilocolore® and experienced engineering research groups from Italian Universities (Perugia, Calabria, L’Aquila); fruitful results of this new born research group of engineering for Cultural Heritage were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
HMI potential value as thorough imaging diagnostic was tested on several artworks from prestigious Italian public and private art collections and international museums as The Louvre (Paris), providing not only colorimetric and radiometric data associated to multispectral photography in traditional diagnostic bands, but also allowing false-color analyses, statistical processing of spectral data for visual mapping of art materials or degradations, building and querying of dedicated database and integration of multi-source diagnostic data. The integration of multispectral and thermographic imaging data shed new light on Italian Renaissance masterpieces as paintings by Andrea Mantegna, Pastura and Michelangelo Buonarroti’s workshop, adding details on the state of conservation, original painting materials and techniques, difficult to highlight with other portable and affordable diagnostics.
Existing correlation between imaging data coming from different physical sources (multi- and hyperspectral, thermography, TeraHertz, X-ray) have been enhanced, highlighting different materials responses that could be interdependent in the whole conservation frame. A further level of integrated diagnostic approach as the correlation between spectral imaging (HMI) and chemical data from punctual analysis (XRF) was explored on an ancient Persian illuminated manuscript page from the Louvre Museum, in the scientific imaging laboratory of C2RMF in Paris.
Supporting multispectral acquisition with powerful but user-friendly DIP software tool for statistical treatment of multispectral data, as in HMI applied in this research, can provide a wider and more complete information on investigated surfaces and a robust diagnostic datum, easy to access also for restorers and conservators, and can open new scenarios on difficult matters of authentication and attribution in the increasingly richer art market.
Additional information
Dottorato di ricerca in Engineering for Energy and Environment
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