Through this lesson, students will learn how to leverage reflectance spectroscopy, to choose the best filters and strategies for reading obscured texts with a multispectral imaging examination.
Objectives
- Gain practical experience using a spectrometer to measure reflectance spectra of different inks and supports.
- Develop a strategy for multispectral imaging that maximizes the contrast between inks and supports.
- Reflectance spectrometer (GORGIAS or similar)
- Mock-up palimpsest with iron gall and carbon inks
- Explain the basics of reflectance spectroscopy and its applications in art examination.
- Show how reflectance spectra can guide the selection of filters for multispectral imaging.
- Use the reflectance spectrometer to measure spectra from the mock-up palimpsest, focusing on three key areas: the parchment support, iron gall ink, and carbon ink.
- Demonstrate how to maintain consistent probe angles and distances for accurate measurements.
- Discuss how the reflectance spectra guide the selection of optimal filters from the multispectral imaging system.
- Identify the filters that maximize the contrast between the iron gall ink, carbon ink, and the support.
To reinforce the concepts discussed here, we also provide a video lesson that visually walks through the key points of this topic. Watching the video alongside the text can help you better understand and apply these ideas in practice.
Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands
