Revealing details
Ultraviolet Reflectography (UVR) photography reveals hidden details in a Chinese painting on silk dating to the early 20th century. When examined under ultraviolet reflected light, subtle variations in materials and surface treatments become visible, allowing details that are difficult or impossible to see under normal illumination to emerge.
UVR photography enhances differences between pigments, binders, and the silk support, helping to clarify brushwork, compositional elements, and areas affected by aging or past interventions. In this example, details within the painted motifs and surrounding silk structure are more clearly defined, improving the readability of the artwork without any physical contact.
With our Technical Photography KIT, you can apply UVR photography to your own artworks to reveal hidden features and improve visual documentation. The system provides controlled ultraviolet illumination and appropriate filtering, making it suitable for the non-invasive examination of paintings on silk, paper, and canvas. UVR photography offers a practical and effective method for uncovering details that remain invisible in visible light.
Learn Technical Photography for Art Examination
Technical Photography is one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—tools for the scientific examination of art and archaeology. If you are a conservator, scientist, or art collector and you are not yet familiar with this method, it is truly a missed opportunity. Using simple, affordable equipment and a clear methodology, Technical Photography allows you to reveal underdrawings, retouchings, material differences, and conservation issues in a completely non-invasive way. Far from being complex or inaccessible, it is an easy entry point into scientific analysis. In many cases, Technical Photography represents the first essential step toward a deeper understanding of artworks and archaeological objects.
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
