Breakthrough technology restores ancient paintings in just a few hours.

(GLO) - Restoring centuries-old paintings that are severely damaged is risky and time-consuming. A technological breakthrough recently successfully tested by scientists has solved this difficulty: the digital masking method.

The damaged 15th-century oil painting was restored without altering the original.
(Photo: Smithsonian magazine)

American scientists have just tested a new technique on a severely damaged 15th-century oil painting using digital masking – a technological advancement that allows for faster and more accurate restoration of ancient paintings without altering the original.

According to Mit News, restoring artwork is a highly demanding job, requiring steady hands and a keen eye. For centuries, ancient paintings were restored by identifying areas needing repair, then precisely mixing colors to apply to each area one at a time. Typically, a painting can have thousands of small areas requiring detailed restoration. Restoring a painting can take weeks, months, or even more than a decade for some works.

Using digital masks to restore paintings. ( Video : Mit News)

Researchers have recently tested a digitally printed masking technique on a 15th-century painting to repair damaged images. Instead of lengthy cleaning, analysis, and editing, the process takes only three and a half hours. The method works by digitally recreating the missing parts of the painting, then printing them onto a printing plate with accurate colors. The printed mask is placed directly onto the damaged artwork, restoring the image without altering the original. This process uses over 57,000 unique colors and covers more than 66,000 square millimeters.

The painting was restored with a laminate mask. (Photo: Franetic)

Currently, this method is proving effective for paintings with smooth, varnished surfaces. Experts believe this method could help museums restore more works of art. Furthermore, it is hoped that the combination of physical restoration and digital technology will usher in a new era for art conservation in the future.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cong-nghe-dot-pha-phuc-che-tranh-co-chi-trong-vai-gio-post328570.html