• Non-destructive optical methods for works of art testing

Non-destructive optical methods for works of art testing

Project: MVTS COST G8

Investigators: M. Hain, J. Bartl, V. Jacko

In the frame of international cooperation in science and technology “COST G8 – Nondestructive analysis and testing of museum objects” and VEGA project “Infrared thermometry, thermography and reflectography – development of selected methods and tools” non-destructive optical methods – infrared reflectography and ultraviolet fluorescence for works of art testing have been developed. Optical methods combined with digital image processing can be used for revealing of underdrawings in pictures, for visualisation of hidden, overpainted or degraded texts, signatures and dating, to distinguish between authentic and repainted parts of a picture. There the methods are also helpful in the determination of authenticity of historical artefacts. By the development of both non-destructive optical methods mentioned above, main attention was given to increasing of their spatial resolution (resolution of CCD image detector in camera has 5 millions pixels), to increasing of signal to noise ratio and to improvement of a mobility of the facility for in-situ testing of mural paintings and very large paintings and to development of methods of image processing. Non- destructive testing methods were successfully applied in the frame of collaboration with Chamber of restorers, Academy of fine arts and with Monuments Board of Slovak Republic by the investigation of artefacts of our cultural heritage, e.g. painting on wood in Levoča, mural paintings in Hlohovec and several other paintings and panel paintings. Results of research were published, presented at international conference on optics and at COST G8 workshop on non-destructive testing.

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