Development of laser technology applications in painting

Professor Warren S. Warren, who developed laser technology to study malignant tumors, has just discovered a new application of lasers: exploring the mysteries beneath works of art without damaging the painting.

Professor Warren, an American who works at the National Gallery in London, realized while viewing an exhibition of fake art that the art world had been using imaging technology for three or four decades. So he began investigating whether lasers could be used to safely reveal the secrets hidden beneath the oil paint. So far, the answer has been yes.

Crucifixion by Puccio Capanna. (Source: wikimedia)

Professor Warren and other experts at Duke University's Center for Molecular and Biomedical Imaging found they could use Professor Warren's laser probing technology to create three-dimensional cross-sections of the artwork, allowing the researchers to see the colors and layers of the canvas, and at some points to detect the origin of the material.

Puccio Capanna's 14th-century Crucifixion, now on display at the NC Museum of Art, is the first painting to be tested with laser-pumped probe technology.

William Brown, the museum's director, said that underneath the painting was a thick layer of blue paint on the Madonna's cloak. Normally, the blue was finished with a less expensive layer of azurite, covered with a thin layer of jade, which was more expensive than gold at the time. This suggests that the painting was very important, possibly part of a Vatican altarpiece.

Art conservators have long used scalpels to remove tiny samples from paintings to learn more about both the painting and the materials used. But this method damages the painting and is limited to areas where the conservator can cut into the paint, such as the corners or the background.

Meanwhile, laser probing technology allows for a three-dimensional view of any part of the painting without the need for a chip. Researchers can zoom in or out, like viewing a layer of cake, and separate the colors to see the original oil painting.

With these techniques, we can understand the technology of creating oil paintings and can redraw the entire history of the world through technology and technological innovation. This will affect the economy and everything./.

According to (TTXVN) - VT