The passage of time is persistent and threatens many times Delete, erode or distort secular works of art that they have lost beauty over the years. The most famous paintings are fortunate to undergo expensive manual renewal processes that after months of careful work can return their lives. But what about all these works, which, either due to lack of time or resources, cannot go through this type of traditional recovery? Team led by researcher Alex Kachkine of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests to create “Digital Masks” that allows you to restore the canvas image without changing one line. “The method could be a fraction for museums, institutions and collections that put damaged works whose high restoration costs condemn them to stay in shops far from the public appearance,” says the specialist.
The design of Kachkine, presented on Wednesday through an article from the magazine “Nature”, is as simple as brilliant. According to a specialist, his team and he developed a technique that consists of “Scan” a damaged picture, Process this using digital tools to fill in the spaces and Create a transparent polymer sheet for Visually rebuild the lost or impaired parts. “We are talking about a“ digital mask ”located in the figure, visually repair damage, but without covering areas that are retained in good condition. In this way, a kind of second skin is created, which is perfectly in line with scars that returns to a viewer who returns to a viewer who returns to this work, ”says the team who led this work.
“The method could mean a turning point for museums that damaged the house with high renewal costs condemn to stay in stores,”
Conceptual test
In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique, Kachkine applied this methodology to an anonymous Renaissance image attributed to the “Master of Prado Adoration” dated in the fifteenth century. The picture, full of thorough detail, introduced and A network of cracks and depigmented areas For centuries exposure to unfavorable conditions of the environment. Its “digital recovery” process began by scanning high definition work. Then, with editing programs, damaged areas were rebuilt Replication of patterns from other parts of the same image Or incorporate details of similar works by the author to reimagine the lost elements. Finally, these corrections were printed on a specially treated plastic foil and “surgical accuracy” were applied to the original surface.
Thanks to this technique, the Renaissance painting of the fifteenth century was restored in just 3.5 hours
Experts say that thanks to these instruments he managed to restore the image of only 3.5 hours, compared to more than 200 hours that would require traditional restoration. Of course, to ensure the success of work, experts confirm that this process must be designed as a cooperation between restorors, art historians and digital tool specialists and that it must be carried out with caution and always evaluate the impact of this case from the case. “The goal is that in the future This technique is standardized, automated and used especially in works with lower economic value But high cultural interest. Hidden pieces could therefore be reopen without jeopardizing their integrity, “commentary on the authors of this work, who define this progress as an” opportunity “to cure artistic wounds as little as possible.
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