Ultraviolet Reflected Photography (UVR)

Ultraviolet Reflected Photography (UVR)

Ultraviolet Reflected  photography is used to enhance reading of faded paints and inks and to detect two modern white pigments, zinc white and titanium white. UVR is part of the Technical Photography documentation and it is used for the examination of many kind of artifacts.

Photographic set up

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UVR photography interests the upper layer of a painting because of the low penetration power of the UV radiation.
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A specific set of filters is used to allow just UV radiation into the camera.

Applications in Art examination

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Zinc white and titanium white absorb UV radiation while the other historical whites, lead white and lithopone reflect the UV wavelengths.
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Ultraviolet Reflected Photography uses the spectral range around 365 nm where there are more information to identify pigments.
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UVR can be more powerful than UVF to identify retouches.
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UVR mixed with VIS to produce a UVR (Luminosity) image to enhance the understanding of the diagnostic information.

 References

Publications on Ultraviolet Reflected photography (UVR)
A. Cosentino “Practical notes on ultraviolet technical photography for art examination” Conservar Património 21, 53-62, 2015.
A. Cosentino “Iden­ti­fi­ca­tion of pig­ments by mul­ti­spec­tral imag­ing a flow­chart method” Her­itage Sci­ence, 2:8, 2014.
A. Cosentino, S. Stout “Pho­to­shop and Mul­ti­spec­tral Imag­ing for Art Doc­u­men­ta­tion” e-Preservation Sci­ence, 11, 91–98, 2014.
A. Cosentino “Effects of Different Binders on Technical Photography and Infrared Reflectography of 54 Historical Pigments” International Journal of Conservation Science, 6 (3), 287-298, 2015.

 

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.

Training 2026

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