Valeria - the Panoramic head for Infrared Reflectography
InGaAs cameras are the standard for Infrared Reflectography. Unfortunately, they feature very small sensors, typically just 320 × 256 pixels. Compare this with a standard 36 MP photographic camera offering 7360 × 4912 pixels. As a result, producing an IRR image of a work of art with sufficient resolution requires stitching together a large number of close-up IRR images. This process is performed using a panoramic head, and the method is known as Panoramic Infrared Reflectography (PIRR).
Table of Contents
Panoramic IRR
Panoramic Infrared Reflectography is a fast and cost-effective solution for scanning paintings with any InGaAs infrared reflectography camera. We developed Valeria, a panoramic head specifically designed to interface seamlessly with your infrared camera.
To build your Panoramic Infrared Reflectography system, you will need:
- Valeria Panoramic head. Automatically shoot the images with your InGaAs camera
- Any InGaAs infrared camera (we do not sell this)
- Stitching software, we use PTGUI Pro
Features
- works both at 110-220 V
- the system is based on 2 high precision motors which deliver angular step as low as 0.1 degree
- programmable scan process interfaceable with your InGaAs camera.
What InGaAs camera is best?
You can attach any InGaAs camera, any brand. Below are our suggestions.
Resources
National Gallery (London) – Raphael’s Madonna of the Pinks
What is Infrared Reflectography?
The National Gallery has pioneered the use of infrared imaging to study underdrawings in paintings. For example, the gallery’s infrared imaging study of Raphael’s Madonna of the Pinks (~1506–07), revealing an exquisite underdrawing beneath the paint layers.
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
