https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-03958-7
Regular Article
Reflecting the past, imag(in)ing the past: macro-reflection imaging of painting materials by fast MIR hyperspectral analysis
1
Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research, School of Culture and Creative Arts, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Hall, G3 8AW, Glasgow, UK
2
Science Lab, Collections Care and Access, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, London, UK
3
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS, Edinburgh, UK
4
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Sensors, Signals and Systems, Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS, Edinburgh, UK
d
christina.young@glasgow.ac.uk
Received:
5
October
2022
Accepted:
6
April
2023
Published online:
22
May
2023
Imaging spectroscopy has been developed in the last two decades in the visible and infrared spectral range for detecting pigments and binders on paintings. The near-infrared (NIR) region has been proved effective for the discrimination of lipids and proteinaceous binders. More recently, the mid-infrared (MIR) range has also been tested on paintings. Reflection imaging prototypes already developed could be further optimized for cultural heritage analysis, for example by: enhancing the instrument configuration and performance; adopting compressive strategies to increase data processing speeds; using data validation to confirm that the processed image reflects the composition of a painted surface; and lowering price to enable more cost-effective analysis of large surface areas. Here, we demonstrate a novel hyperspectral Fourier transform spectrometer (HS FTS), which enables an imaging strategy that provides a significant improvement in acquisition rate compared to other state-of-the-art techniques. We demonstrate hyperspectral imaging across the 1400–700 cm−1 region in reflection mode with test samples and the painting ‘Uplands in Lorne’ (Acc. No.: GLAHA43427) by D.Y. Cameron (1865–1945). A post-processing analysis of the resulting hyperspectral images, after validation of reference samples by conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, shows the potential of the method for efficient non-destructive classification of different materials found on painted cultural heritage. This research demonstrates that the HS FTS is a convenient and compact tool for non-invasive analysis of painted cultural heritage objects at spatio-spectral acquisition rates potentially higher than current FTS imaging techniques. Ultimately, when combined with fast graphics processing unit-based reconstruction, the HS FTS may enable fast, large area imaging.
Focus Point on Scientific Research in Cultural Heritage 2022 Guest editors: L. Bellot-Gurlet, D. Bersani, A.-S. Le Hô, D. Neff, L. Robinet, A. Tournié.
© The Author(s) 2023
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