Digital technologies and physical change

Tonal map of Casa Pieris II by Minnette De Silva © Factum Foundation
Aalto Silo
Inspecting the condition of the Aaltosiilo's concrete walls in 2021 © Otto Lowe
One of the concrete bays of the Aaltosiilo with halos of light projected from the glass rods used in the restoration © Factum Foundation
Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Mausoleum
Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Tomb from a drone view in 2026 © Factum Foundation
LiDAR scanning training at the Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Tomb © Deccan Heritage Foundation

key details

20, 22, 24, 27, 29 April 2026
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CEST)

about

Digital Technologies and Physical Change. How technology enables real, tangible innovations in heritage preservationis a 10-hour online course curated by the Factum Foundation. Bringing together leading practitioners, researchers, and institutions, the sessions explore how advanced digital tools are transforming the ways cultural heritage is recorded, understood, and preserved—while generating concrete, physical outcomes.

Across five sessions, the course explores key challenges in heritage preservation: the reuse of industrial architecture in the Arctic, questions of provenance and restitution, community-led initiatives in South Asia, and new scientific methods for analysing cultural heritage. Case studies include the Aaltosiilo in Oulu, the Torcello Altarpiece in Venice, the digital reconstruction of fragmented works in Nigeria and Lagos, and the use of advanced imaging technologies in Spain and UK. Together, they demonstrate how digital processes can lead to real, tangible outcomes.

Moderated by Costanza Blaskovic, the programme offers a focused overview of how high-resolution data is driving new approaches to preservation, access, and storytelling.

The course is held in English.

Monolith Facsimile
Facsimile of a Bakor Monolith produced at Factum Foundation © Oak Taylor-Smith
The workshop at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka © MMCA Sri Lanka
A digital reconstruction of the stone Choir of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela 
Specimen recorded with Selene PSS by John Barrett © Oxford University Museum of Natural History​
Depthmap from Selene PSS data © Oxford University Museum of Natural History​

Programme

April 20, 2026

Cultural strategies and practical solutions for 20th Century architectural heritage in the Arctic North

  • Charlotte Skene Catling | Skene Catlin de la Peña
  • Valentino Tignanelli | Factum Foundation
  • Venanzia Rizzi | Kerstax Oy
  • Eeva Huuhtanen | City of Ravaniemi

Charlotte Skene Catling,Valentino TignanelliAaltoSiilo – Silo Dreaming – A Journey of Revitalisation 1931 -2031 

Skene Catling de la Peña studio and Factum Foundation are repurposing Alvar and Aino Aalto’s first modernist industrial building, the Aaltosiilo, in Oulu’s Meri-Toppila district (Finland). The silo blends functionality with bold design, reflecting Aalto’s lasting architectural influence. Since 2020, innovative interventions have focused on preserving this landmark of Finland’s industrial heritage, navigating both climatic challenges and social change.

Venanzia Rizzi –Material Continuity in Industrial Heritage 

The adaptive reuse of another of Aalto’s buildings within the Meri-Toppila industrial complex focuses on industrial heritage, materiality, and the revitalisation of urban areas in the Arctic context. The building was recently converted into a climbing gym with facilities for the local community, preserving the original modernist structure and highlighting its design.

EevaHuuhtanenAalto’s Rovaniemi: past, present and the creative future

After the Lapland War left Rovaniemi in ruins, Alvar Aalto was commissioned to reimagine the city. In 1945, he designed the iconic ‘Reindeer Antler city plan’ (Poronsarviasemakaava) and continued working on key buildings through the 1960s. Today, Rovaniemi is a UNESCO Creative City of Architecture, with cultural programmes celebrating Aalto’s legacy, the preservation of its heritage, and the city’s ongoing contribution to contemporary architecture and cultural tourism in Lapland.

April 22, 2026

Provenance, diaspora and forgotten fragments: Digital technology as a solution for restitution - part 1

  • Stefania Gerevini | Bocconi University
  • Francisco Prado-Vilar | Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
  • Carlos Bayod Lucini | Factum Foundation

Carlos Bayod LuciniRecomposing Meaning: digital preservation of remnants

2.5D and 3D digitisation transform historical vestiges into models that can recreate objects physically, digitally reconnect fragments, and unlock new narratives—but choosing the right techniques and methods is essential for the best results.

Stefania Gerevini –The Torcello Altarpiece: from the photogrammetric recording to its digital reconstruction

From the thirteenth century to the early modern period, Venetian church interiors gleamed with brilliant gold and silver altarpieces and frontals, many of which could be opened and closed horizontally to reveal and conceal multiple layers of imagery. Today, we usually perceive them as static ornaments, but their digital reconstruction restores their original functionality while enhancing their study.

Francisco Prado-Vilar –The reconstruction of fragmented heritage: the stone Choir of Santiago de Compostela 

The choir of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, designed under the direction of Master Mateo in the late twelfth century, was one of the most complex and sophisticated choirs built in medieval Europe, both in its architectural structure and its iconographic program. Strictly contemporary with the emergence of polyphony, it reflected its innovations. Partially dismantled in the early modern period, its sculptural elements were dispersed. Today, digital technologies enable an advanced virtual reconstruction and the prospect of recovering its original configuration.

 

April 24, 2026

Knowledge transfer to communities for preserving at-risk heritage: recording and educational projects in South-Asia

  • Javier Ors Ausín | World Monuments Fund
  • Helen Philon | Deccan Heritage Foundation
  • Imran Khan | Factum Foundation

Helen PhilonRestoring Memory: The Tomb of Ahmad Shah and the Preservation of Deccan Heritage

The tomb of Ahmad Shah I (1391–1442) is housed within a medieval mosque, part of a complex that includes other royal family tombs in Ahmedabad, India. Preserving the mosque and its rich mural decorations is essential for understanding the historical, socio-religious, and economic context, especially given the scarcity of textual sources from the period. Recent 3D recordings will enable a digital restoration of both the structure and its painted walls.

Javier Ors AusínMinnette De Silva. The Online Archive of a Pioneer Modernist Architect in Sri Lanka

The World Monuments Fund and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka are building local capacity to train professionals in digital preservation, including the 3D recording of historic buildings, as part of a project celebrating the work of Sri Lankan architect Minnette De Silva.

Imran KhanEducational initiatives in South-Asia and the world

Alongside developing new technologies and strategies for digital preservation, Factum Foundation aims to share best practices through hands-on workshops and recording campaigns. Photogrammetry, often combined with other techniques, is a key part of the training programmes offered to institutions in South-Asia and around the world.

April 27, 2026

Provenance, diaspora and forgotten fragments: Digital technology as a solution for restitution - part 2

  • Mari Lending | Oslo University
  • Erik Langdalen | Oslo University
  • Adam Lowe | Factum Foundation
  • Ferdinand Saumarez Smith | Factum Foundation

Mari Lending, Erik LangdalenProvenance in architecture: the “Provenance Projected” project

While provenance traditionally traces the chronological history of objects in circulation (artworks, documents, archaeological fragments, natural specimens, etc.),Provenance Projectedextends this concept to architecture. It reframes architectural provenance as a dynamic phenomenon—indeed, a forward-looking and creative instrument for change—used to interpret the past, present, and future potential of buildings.

Adam Lowe, Ferdinand Saumarez SmithRepatriation issues and complex objects: the Bakor Monoliths, the Igbo Ukwu and Benin bronzes

Thanks to online catalogues and digital collections, it is now easier to trace the provenance of objects dispersed around the world, identify fragments held in museums, and determine their original location. However, when addressing repatriation and restitution, it is essential to rethink concepts of ownership and preservation and to develop practical solutions—often involving the creation of both digital and physical copies.

April 29, 2026

New methodologies for the digital analysis of cultural heritage

  • John Barrett | Bodleian Libraries
  • William Owen
  • Santiago del Bosque Arias | Factum Foundation
  • Lucía Pereira-Pardo | CSIC
  • Juan Torrejón-Valdelomar | CSIC

John Barrett, William OwenThe portable Selene Photometric Stereo System and its role in research strategies

The Selene Photometric Stereo System has transformed how scholars, curators, conservators, and restorers engage with the digitisation of documents, artworks, natural history collections, and cultural heritage. What new possibilities emerge when this technology becomes portable—capable of recording fragments at a billion pixels per square inch?

Santiago del Bosque Arias, Lucía Pereira-Pardo, Juan Torrejón-ValdelomarCombining photometric stereo data with hyperspectral imaging (RIS): a pilot scientific investigation 

For the first time, high-resolution 3D data from the Selene Photometric Stereo System has been combined with hyperspectral imaging. By identifying pigments through their unique spectral “fingerprints,” this integration opens new possibilities for studying cultural heritage—without ever touching the objects.

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lecturers

Charlotte Skene Catling

She is an architect working across disciplines, from architecture to film and music. She writes for publications likeThe Architectural ReviewandDOMUS, co-launched ArchFilmFest, and has taught atthe Royal College of Art (UK),London School of Architecture (UK), and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany). She was shortlisted for the 2016 AR Women in Architecture award and named a Debrett’s 500 influential in Architecture & Design.

Valentino Tignanelli

He is an Italian-Argentine architect and designer. His professional journey is characterized by a strong emphasis on collaborative design, particularly in industrial heritage and community-driven projects. His work spans built projects, exhibitions, and writing, contributing to both professional and academic discourse.

Venanzia Rizzi

She is an architect and researcher focused on industrial heritage, material culture, and adaptive reuse. Her work investigates how architectural history and technical knowledge can inform preservation and contemporary design strategies. She is also honorary Vice-Consul of Italy in Finland.

Eeva Huuhtanen

She is a project lead of theUusi Aaltoproject in the City of Rovaniemi, focusing on activating Alvar Aalto’s architectural heritage as a driver for cultural tourism and urban vitality. With a background in landscape design and business development at Navico Oy, she combines strategic thinking with practical implementation, working at the intersection of culture, tourism and city development.

Carlos Bayod Lucini

He is an architect and holds a PhD in Art History and Theory from Autonomous University of Madrid. As Project Director at the Factum Foundation, his work is dedicated to the development and application of digital technology to the conservation, study and dissemination of Cultural Heritage.

Stefania Gerevini

She holds a PhD from The Courtauld Institute is and Director of the BSc in Economics and Management for Arts, Culture and Communication. Her research focuses on Medieval and Byzantine art, especially Venice and its empire, and on artistic interactions across the Mediterranean.

Francisco Prado-Vilar

Professor of Art History at the University of Santiago de Compostela and Distinguished Researcher at CISPAC, he earned his PhD from Harvard. He has held positions at Princeton, Birkbeck, and Complutense University, and led heritage projects including the restoration of the Portal of Glory at Santiago Cathedral. He currently directs “KosmoTech_1200” on historic built environments.

Helen Philon

She is an expert in Islamic art who has lived and worked across the Middle East, South Asia, Turkey, the United States and India. She founded the Department of Islamic Art at the Benaki Museum and later established the Deccan Heritage Foundation in the UK, with branches in India and New York. She has published widely on ceramics, Deccani architecture and decorative techniques.

Javier Ors Ausín

He is Senior Program Manager for Special Programs at the World Monuments Fund. He oversees initiatives that protect and preserve cultural heritage worldwide, coordinating projects that combine research, conservation, and community engagement to safeguard historic sites and promote sustainable heritage practices.

Imran Khan

He is trained as an architect and holds a graduate degree in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics. With over ten years of professional experience in the field of cultural heritage digital documentation, he specializes in the application of advanced technologies for the preservation of historical artifacts and sites. He is currently based in Madrid, where he works with the Factum Foundation as 3D specialist. In this role, he leads digital documentation initiatives and develops training programs in partnership with universities and museums worldwide.

Mari Lending

She is a professor of architectural history and theory at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). Her research explores provenance in architecture, examining how historical, social, and material narratives of buildings inform restoration, conservation, and adaptive reuse strategies, bridging scholarship and practical heritage interventions.

Erik Langdalen

He is a practicing architect and professor of architecture at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). He leads work on preservation and transformation of historic buildings through teaching, research, and practice, including projects on concrete architecture and architectural systems. His work explores reuse, conservation, and the role of provenance in contemporary architecture.

Adam Lowe

OBE, Founder of Factum Arte and the Factum Foundation for Digital Technology in Preservation, he is an artist and innovator in digital heritage preservation. Trained in fine art, he applies cutting‑edge technologies to the documentation, study, and reproduction of cultural heritage worldwide. He has taught at Columbia University and received awards including Royal Designer for Industry.

Ferdinand Saumarez Smith

PhD (King’s College London), is Director of Factum Foundation London, where he leads projects in digital preservation and cultural heritage documentation. His work spans global initiatives—such as recording rock art and monoliths—and explores issues of restitution, conservation, and interpretation through high-resolution technology and community engagement.

John Barrett 

He is Senior Photographer for the Bodleian Libraries. Since 2005, John has provided recordings of Bodleian originals for numerous publications. His work involves the development of new methods of recording special collections material. John is Technical Lead at the Bodleian for ARCHiOx (Analysis and Recording of Cultural Heritage in Oxford).

William Owen

He advises on digital transformation and growth in the cultural sector, writing on material culture, design history, and conservation. He has helped leading brands and cultural organisations enhance engagement, strengthen reputation, and develop digital capabilities, focusing teams on audience insights, organisational goals, and creative solutions.

Santiago del Bosque Arias

He holds a Master’s in Technical Art History (UNAM). He works in research, curation, and technical art history with a focus on painting, collaborating with institutions like Galería Artdicré and MUNAL. His multidisciplinary approach at Factum Foundation integrates preservation, exhibitions, audience engagement, and technical development.

Lucía Pereira‑Pardo

She is a heritage science specialist focused on technical art history and non-invasive material analysis. Trained at IPCE and holding a PhD from the University of Santiago de Compostela, she has worked in leading UK institutions including the Fitzwilliam Museum and the British Museum. Her research explores pigments, imaging and AI for cultural heritage. She is part of Incipit, one of the research institute of CSIC.

Juan Torrejón-Valdelomar

He is a research technician specialising in digital archaeology and non-invasive methods. His work focuses on advanced 2D and 3D imaging, virtual reconstruction, and landscape archaeology. He develops innovative approaches to documenting and analysing archaeological heritage through digital and multiband imaging technologies. He is is part of Incipit, one of the research institute of CSIC.

Registration

Beyond Cinema

key details

23, 25 February 2026
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

Starting from an analysis of the transformations of the moving image in the digital age, the course aims to explore how technological evolution reshapes both artistic practices and our everyday relationship with images. At the intersection of cinema, art and new technologies,Beyond Cinemasignals a shift away from the idea of the finished film towards forms of practice that weave together research, writing, editing and programming, as well as a bridge between pre-cinematic experiences and contemporary audiovisual practices. Central to the course are the construction and reworking of archives, the care of data and visual fragments, which become tools for observing how images are generated, circulate and sediment—and how artistic practice can still open critical spaces within the technologies that produce them.

The first lecture, given by Miriam De Rosa, examines the increasingly active role of users in producing and reworking images, the aesthetics emerging from the creative use of digital interfaces and the significance of the archive as a dynamic space for rewriting and reinterpretation.

The second lecture, led by artist and filmmaker Sara Francesca Tirelli, will focus on the analysis of her research and artistic practice, aimed at overcoming the boundaries between film, the visual arts and digital technologies, and on how processes of capturing reality, post-production and AI are reshaping the very notion of film and the visual archive.

Together, the two lectures offer a multifaceted perspective on how images are created, circulate and transform today, opening a critical dialogue on the possibilities and challenges of what liesbeyond cinema.

The course will be held in Italian.

Programme

February 23, 2026

Class 1

  • Miriam De Rosa

If the contemporary moment is one in which we witness a transformation of images—now freed from their frames and embedded in our everyday experience—then the ways in which we approach, work with, and archive images become crucial. Starting from the assumption that, as users of digital technologies with a good degree of media literacy, we candothings with images rather than merely receive and consume them, this session broadens the reflections linked to the paradigm of immersivity and introduces examples of grassroots (and other) creative practices that make use of technology even without major production infrastructures. We will consider the tendency to turn digital interfaces into an aesthetic motif, examining how this occurs and with what outcomes. We will also question the role of the archive, understood not only as a repository of images but as a living space in which stories—and history—can be rewritten.

February 25, 2026

Class 2

  • Sara Francesca Tirelli

The artist and filmmaker presents her research at the intersection of cinema, art and new technologies, exploring territories where traditional visual languages intertwine with the possibilities offered by contemporary digital tools. The artist talk focuses on how the recent technological paradigm shift is profoundly transforming the very nature of the moving image, redefining its form, function and modes of experience. Processes of capturing reality, post-production and artificial intelligence become the tools of an artistic practice that interrogates the ways in which our perception organises the visible today. The image is no longer conceived solely as a linear projection on a screen, but takes the form of an immersive and dynamic environment, capable of transcending the limits of the screen and simultaneously spreading across devices, digital platforms, archives and computational infrastructures, opening up new possibilities for interaction and aesthetic experimentation.

lecturers

Sara Francesca Tirelli

She is an artist and filmmaker. Her works have been presented at the Rome Quadriennale, IFFR, and other international venues. She has won the Deutsche Bank Macht Kunst award and the IASPIS research grant, where she developed Medusa, her first virtual reality work.
She is co-founder of CSC Immersive Arts and teaches Expanded Cinema at IUAV University of Venice. She has participated in XR panels at Goldsmiths University and the Göteborg Film Festival.

Miriam De Rosa

She is an Associate Professor of Film and Media at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and coordinator of the International Master in Cinema Studies, a program that brings together prestigious universities across Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Her areas of specialisation include film theory and experimental and art cinema, visual cultures, and media archaeology. She has published in both international and national volumes and journals. Among her works are the booksCinema & Postmedia(2013),Film & Domestic Space(2020), andCamille Henrot, Grosse Fatigue: Notes on Desktop Cinema(2024).

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A Fusion of Virtual and Physical

Butterfly specimen. Image and processing with Gaussian splatting by Otto Lowe.
Beetle specimen digitisation at different stages. Images and processing with Gaussian splatting by Otto Lowe.
The history of Baghdad in Game Marker © 2023 Assassin’s Creed TM & © Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
Digital render of the Kabuto for Patrimonio Nacional and Ubisoft © Factum Arte
Cultural Discovery panel, Kabuto helmet © Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
The physical recontrsuction of the Kabuto at Factum Arte © Oak Taylor Smith

key details

8, 9 April 2025
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

Large amounts of data and a wide variety of output formats pose significant challenges in their representation. From social media platforms to websites, public databases, and exhibition displays, users are increasingly looking for effective ways to convey information and ideas. A new world of educational possibilities is emerging, one that acknowledges the challenges of transferring skills and technologies while addressing the complexities of intellectual and technological change.

The courseA Fusion of Virtual and Physical: Education, Engagement, and Practice through Digital Immersive Experiencesexplores the potential of digital technologies to offer a fresh approach to education, blending entertainment with knowledge creation, while reshaping curricula and course content.

Programme

April 8, 2025

Digitising Cultural Heritage to provide dynamic access

  • Otto Lowe | Factum Foundation
  • Halley Ramos | S.O.E.
  • André Paul Jauregui | S.O.E.

Otto LoweTransforming collections from one state to another.  

The digital recording of collections in the GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) is an area experiencing rapid advancement, driven by the fast evolution of hardware and software systems, new workflows, increasing processing capacity, and, last but not least, the rise of AI and machine learning in the sector. Similar techniques can be applied to both artefacts and natural history specimens, whether on a small or massive scale, documenting the rich heritage of institutions and making it accessible to scholars and the general public. 

Focusing on the practical challenges, this lecture presents both input and output techniques as they emerge and evolve, with particular attention to the advancement of photogrammetry, macro scanning, and the application of Gaussian Splatting. 

 

Halley Ramos, André Paul JaureguiReconstructing the past through immersive experiences 

Immersive experiences derived from the digitisation of Cultural Heritage are a powerful solution for preservation, dissemination and education purposes. Digitally reconstructing historical sites or objects is a way to preserve what no longer exists, while the immersive environment allows us to put the heritage into context and complete the narration. The lecture presents case studies of dissemination projects aimed at retracing everyday life into their historical context, building a bridge between the past and the present. 

Among the other case studies,Broken Citiesis a photogrammetric scanning of conflict-affected sites creating an immersive digital tour. The goal of this project developed in collaboration with ICRC is to highlight urban war impacts on people and places. 

TheTenement Museum Virtual Field Tripis a custom virtual platform for educators to explore 3D models with students to explore the homes of diverse families with roots all over the world, who lived in New York City between the 1860s and the 1980s. 

April 9, 2025

Creative industries and Cultural Engagement

  • Glaire Anderson | The University of Edinburgh
  • Sarah Slingluff | The University of Edinburgh
  • Deniz Vural | The University of Edinburgh
  • Álvaro Soler | Patrimonio Nacional
  • Eduardo García | Factum Arte

Glaire Anderson, Sarah Slingluff, Deniz Vural –Partnering with Video Games for Cultural Heritage & Public Impact: the Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections 

Video games have emerged as a powerful educational tool, one of the most significant ways in which the public engages with the past. Moreover, games and immersive digital experiences offer historians of visual culture and cultural heritage professionals a way to shape more inclusive and authentic public perceptions of the past by making academic research and museum collections widely accessible to audiences outside the academy. Scholars recognise the educational value of games in making knowledge accessible and informing public perceptions of the past, yet games that present histories and visual traditions beyond canonical Anglo-European traditions, and specifically those representing times and places from Islamic civilisation, are still relatively rare. This talk presents the work of theDigital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collectionsongoing research on using video games to make Islamic art and history widely accessible. The focus will be on the Digital Lab’s work on “Assassin’s Creed Mirage and its ‘History of Baghdad’ educational feature, a collaboration that brought together video games, GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) and academic partners.

 

Álvaro Soler, Eduardo García –The reconstruction of the Kabuto of King Felipe II for Patrimonio Nacional and Ubisoft’s“Assassin’s Creed Shadows”  

Ubisoft commissioned aphysical reconstruction of a Kabuto helmet from 1584, seriously damaged in 1884 during a fire at the Royal Armoury in Madrid, belonging to Patrimonio Nacional. The Kabuto helmet is part of this collection, which is among Europe’s oldest collections on arms and armour. Starting from its digitisation, Factum Arte reconstructed the item first digitally and then physically to recreate its aspect as it was before the fire. At every stage of the process, the project was guided by a commitment to historical accuracy over contemporary aesthetic sensibilities, guided by the director of the Spanish Royal Armoury,Álvaro Soler. 

This meticulous reconstruction effort has not only revived a historical artefact but also ensured its accessibility in the digital age. In collaboration with Ubisoft and Patrimonio Nacional, the Kabuto has been integrated into the Codex “Assassin’s Creed Shadows, where players can explore its history and significance within the context of Feudal Japan. By incorporating this relic into a widely recognised gaming franchise, this initiative bridges historical research with modern technology, allowing global audiences to engage with cultural heritage in an immersive and interactive way. 

lecturers

Glaire Anderson

She is Senior Lecturer in Islamic Art and Founding Director of the Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections at the University of Edinburgh. A specialist on Córdoba and in the caliphal period, her most recent book isA Bridge to the Sky: The Arts of Science in the Age of Abbas Ibn Firnas (OxfordUniversity Press, 2024). Anderson was an external historian and art historian for Assassin’s Creed Mirage (Ubisoft, 2023) and its educational Codex feature.

Eduardo García

He works at Factum Arte as a 3D modeller, engineer and production coordinator for selected projects. He studied Industrial Design and Product Development at Universidad Nebrija and worked on ephemeral architecture, applying some of this knowledge on the development of works of art, products and artistic installations produced at Factum. 

André Paul Jauregui

Heis a preservationist and trained architect, VDC director, and expert in HR 3D scanning, with contributions to VFX, video game design, and construction. He also has worked as a photogrammetry expert on award-winning TV productions and collaborated with the ICRC on projects in conflict zones. He is the Co-Founder of S.O.E.studio and runs the course Visualization Techniques for Architectural Preservation at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) at Columbia University. 

Otto Lowe

Heis senior 3D recording specialists at Factum Foundation. He is a specialist in photogrammetry and 3D asset creation. Otto has also specialised in teaching photogrammetry to universities and local communities. He has conducted training programmes and workshops for Columbia University (USA), Urbino University (Italy), the Royal Commission forAlUla(Saudi Arabia), Art Jameel (Saudi Arabia), the Peri Foundation (Russia), Tokyo University of the Arts (Japan) and Art UK (United Kingdom). 

Halley Ramos

Shespecialisesinleveragingemerging technologies like augmented/virtual reality, 3D scanning, and computer-based fabrication for preservation projects.Holding degrees from theUniversity of New Mexico and Columbia University, Ramos, now Lead Architectural Historian Consultant at HNTB,isCo-Founder of S.O.E. studio,and runs the course Visualization Techniques for Arch Preservation attheGraduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation(GSAPP) atColumbia University. 

Sarah Slingluff

Her research focuses on the material culture of al-Andalus in the eighth and ninth centuries in the Southern Meseta (central Spain). Currently, she works at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and as Lead Educator for the Digital Lab for Islamic Culture and Collections (DLIVCC). Sarah has worked on several digital outputs with the DLIVCC, notably Assassin’s Creed, Mirage; the Digital Munyas projects; and The Córdoba Journey.

Álvaro Soler

Hehas aPhD in Medieval History from the Complutense University of Madrid. Trained at the National Archaeological Museum, he is the Head of the Department of the RoyalArmouryof the Royal Palace of Madrid, part of Patrimonio Nacional, and a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of History. He is a specialist in medieval weaponry and the author of several publications on weaponry from the 5th to the 19th centuries. 

Deniz Vural

She holds an MSc by Research in History of Art from the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on late Ottoman visual culture and women’s histories. She is the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) Lead at the Digital Lab for Islamic Culture and Collections. She also works as the Social Media Manager at Khamseen Islamic Art History Online at the University of Michigan.

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AI and Heritage: Practical Skills for Extracting Information from Historical Documents

key details

6, 11 and 13 March 2025
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

The objective of this course is to introduce techniques and resources that help research on the digitisations of historical documents, in particular in the context of architectural and urban history. Over three two-hours sessions, we will cover all the steps that allow to move from a set of scanned historical documents to a structured geo-historical database.

The sessions introduce techniques as varied as image segmentation, text recognition, alignment on external databases, and geocoding. It will combine both lectures and hands-on tutorials on provided data. There will also be space for interested researchers to ask questions about their own data, and how studied techniques can be applied.

The lectures present more general theoretical concepts of information processing understandable by a professional but untrained audience; Knowledge of coding in Python is expected for practical tutorials. Other specific knowledge in computer science is also welcome.

For any questions on the content of this course, please contact:paul.guhennec@epfl.ch

Programme

March 6, 2025

From archive to segmented image

  • Introduction to the automatic processing of large digitised archives. Motivation and case studies;
  • Lecture: Image segmentation;
  • Tutorial.

March 11, 2025

From segmented image to extracted text

  • Lecture: Text segmentation, alignment on authority databases, named entity recognition;
  • Tutorial.

March 13, 2025

From extracted text to geo-historical database

  • Lecture: Geocoding and alignment on Linked Open Databases;
  • Tutorial;
  • Summary case study on corpus analysis.

Lecturers

Frédéric Kaplan

He is the director of the College of Humanities at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). He also holds the Chair of Digital Humanities and is President of the Time Machine Organisation, a non-profit association of over 600 institutions. He is the author of a dozen books, translated into several languages, and over a hundred scientific publications.

Isabella di Lenardo

She is a researcher at EPFL’s Digital Humanities Institute, specializing in Art History, Digital Humanities, and Digital Urban History. She focuses on the circulation of artworks and historical cartography. Leading the Time Machine Unit at EPFL, she uses AI and digitization to explore Europe’s cultural heritage. She is the PI on European projects and co-PI on the SNFS-funded “Parcels of Venice” project.

Paul Guhennec

He is a post-doctoral researcher in the Digital Humanities Laboratory at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland). His research focuses on the usage of new computational methods for architectural history, and their epistemological implications. He recently finished his doctoral dissertation on Venice’s urban history, with a focus on vernacular domestic architecture.

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Contemporary Art Animation Studio

Federico Solmi,The Bacchanalian Ones, Virtual Reality Experience for Oculus Quest 2, 2021
Federico Solmi,The Ship of Fools, Soft pastels, white pen and ink, gouache on canvas, 2024
Federico Solmi,The Painting Class, Single channel video loop, 2024

key details

13 and 18 February 2025
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

TheContemporary Art Animation Studiois a class geared toward students who wish to learn how contemporary artists use animation techniques in the context of fine art. New York-based ArtistFedericoSolmi will demonstrate methods used in his studio, a process which integrates gaming, digital and VR technology with traditional painting and drawing techniques to create narrative moving image works.

The class will analyse how contemporary artists and Solmi himself have taken long-standing animation techniques and placed them into the context of fine art. Topics such as storyboarding, 3D software, production planning, stop motion, rotoscoping, collage, motion capture, and more are all potential subjects. In this course, animation and art will be hybridised in a personal way to each student’s practice, with a focus on formulating an original relationship between process and concept. A section of the course will also be dedicated to exploring new digital marketplaces like NFT Platforms and the blockchain.

The course will be held inItalian.

Lecturer

Federico Solmi

Born in Italy, he lives in New York. His groundbreaking work in video and audio was recognized with the award of a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in 2009. From 2016 to 2019, Solmi was Visiting Professor at Yale University School of Art and Yale School of Drama, New Haven, Connecticut. He was appointed Guest Critic at the Yale University School of Art for 2022. In September 2024 his solo show Solmi: Ship of Fools was also the subject of a major exhibition in Venice at Palazzo Donà Dalle Rose, during the Venice Biennale in 2024.

1/2 Contemporary Art Animation Studio
2/2 Contemporary Art Animation Studio

Access to Materials in Digital Archives, Copyright and Related Rights: the Archivio Progetti IUAV as a Case Study

Archivio Progetti, Università Iuav di Venezia © Luca Pilot
Archivio Progetti, Università Iuav di Venezia © Luca Pilot
Archivio Progetti, Università Iuav di Venezia © Luca Pilot

key details

28 and 29 January 2025
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

Established in 1987, the Archivio Progetti IUAV is an archival and research centre dedicated to the documentation and scholarly promotion of the documentary heritage of 20th and 21st-century architecture in its diverse disciplinary dimensions: building design, urban, landscape, and territorial planning, structural, technological, and systems design, urban development, interior design, industrial design, artistic craftsmanship, photography, graphic design, and communication.

Following the presentation of this Archive, the course will proceed with an overview of selected collections relevant to industrial design.

In this context, the legal issue of copyright and related rights (such as photography) will be explored, particularly focusing on the use of digitised materials from the archive (including photos, projects, etc.) with some examples of best practices adopted by the Archivio Progetti IUAV.

The course will be held inItalian.

Lecturers

Barbara Pasa

Barbara Pasa, Full Professor of Comparative Private Law at the Iuav University of Venice, teaches Comparative Intellectual Property, Contract Law, and Consumer Law. A graduate and PhD from the University of Trento, she worked for over 10 years at the University of Turin. A qualified lawyer, she is a member of national and international academic bodies, with research and teaching experience at universities across Europe and the US.

Rosa Chiesa

Researcher in Design at the Iuav University, she is an architect with a degree from the Politecnico di Milano and a PhD in Design Sciences from Iuav. Her research focuses on glass and design, exploring Murano’s entrepreneurial history through archival sources. A board member of AIS/Design and the ISEC Foundation, she has taught design history at several institutions, curated exhibitions on Luca Meda and Toni Zuccheri, and collaborates with scientific journals and publishers.

Giovanni Marras

From 2004 to 2014, Associate Professor of Architectural Composition at the University of Trieste, currently a member of the doctoral board in Architectural Composition at Iuav University of Venice, where he earned his PhD. His research focuses on form, construction, and architectural character, with emphasis on Latin America, cultural heritage, and landscape. He led the MIUR project re-HOUSING and has authored essays on memory and contemporary design.

Teresita Scalco

With a PhD in Design Science from Iuav, she is the Head of Archivio Progetti, the research and archival centre of the Iuav Library System, where she is in charge of the collection management, coordinating and supporting research, educational, editorial, exhibition activities, with the aim to improve the access and dissemination of archival fonds, such as the digital projectPetit tour.

1/2 L'accesso ai materiali degli Archivi Digitali, il diritto d'autore e i diritti connessi: l'Archivio Progetti IUAV come caso studio
2/2 L'accesso ai materiali degli Archivi Digitali, il diritto d'autore e i diritti connessi: l'Archivio Progetti IUAV come caso studio

Art and Innovation, a new idea of Archives

key details

10 and 12 December 2024
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

The course, curated byValentino Catricalà,  focuses on the relationship between art and innovation, on how artists, using media that are changing our societies, not only open up new reflections on media but also create new practices that impact the world of innovation.

Therefore, the point of interest of the research is not only how the world of art can develop through technology but also how the world of innovation can benefit from the relationship with artists.

These issues will be developed through case studies with a focus on artists who use databases and archives, to understand how archives reinterpreted by artists can be a source of technological innovation.In the second lesson, the artistDonato Piccolowill discuss the poetics of his creative process and the ongoing dialogue between science, technology and art in his work.

The course will be held inItalian.

lecturers

Valentino Catricalà

He is curator and museum director. He has been founder and artistic director of MODAL Gallery at SODA in Manchester and lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University. He is currently involved in a big new project in Saudi Arabia. He has curated exhibitions in important Museum and Galleries such as Fondazione Prada (Milan, Tokyo), Minnesota Street Project (San Francisco), Ermitage (Saint Petersburg), MAXXI (Rome), ADI Design Museum (Milan), Museo Riso (Palermo), Media Center (New York), Istituto Italiano di Cultura Nuova Delhi, Ca’ Foscari (Venice).

Donato Piccolo

His art investigates natural, physical and biological phenomena through design drawings and technological and mechanical installations. Through the study of human cognitive faculties, his art analyses the perceptive aspects of the natural world. Most of his works combine two complementary aspects: they are sculptures and machines, forms and processes at the same time. This hybrid character constitutes the very nature of a “holistic art”: an art whose essential function is to explore “the incomprehensible mystery of the visible world”. He is an acclaimed Italian artist on the international stage and his creations have been showcased in prominent museums and institutions worldwide.

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2/2 Art and Innovation, a new idea of Archives

Access to image-based resources in the context of the IIIF protocol

key details

17, 23 September
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

Reference

  • Fondazione Giorgio Cini
  • Factum Foundation

about

Access to high-resolution image-based resources is fundamental for research, scholarship, and the transmission of cultural knowledge.

The IIIF (International Image Interoperability Framework) standard is a set of technical specifications designed to enable the sharing, reuse, dissemination, and scientific research of digital images. Numerous projects and institutions worldwide have adopted IIIF to make collections accessible and interoperable online. IIIF supports the uniform presentation of images of cultural heritage items, allowing for display, manipulation, measurement, and annotation by scholars and students worldwide. Although initially conceived in libraries and primarily used by academics, IIIF also benefits a wider public.

Programme

September 17, 2024

Improving the access of cultural heritage through IIIF

  • Gennaro Ferrante | Università Federico II, Napoli
  • Flavia Bruni | Università di Chieti-Pescara
  • Ilenia Maschietto | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
  • Dario Peluso | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
The lecture aims to present a selection of projects on a variety of scales leveraging IIIF to improve the accessibility of collections. The examples show how IIIF connect cultural heritage scattered in different parts of the world, providing users high-quality image-based resources, ready to be compared, shared, reused, annotated and studied.
The first example isEuropeanaand its latest strategies (including Europeana Pro and the Europeana API), a project funded by the European Union that provides access to millions of items from institutions across Europe, allowing users to interact with them dynamically.
The second is theIlluminated Dante Project, born within the University Federico II of Naples, a systematic survey of early illustrations of Dante’s Divine Comedyvirtuallyunited on the same platform, carefully described and put in context. The project includes a digitization campaign, and the first clear classification and explanation of the illustrations that these precious artefacts contain.
The third is the work in progress of the new Digital Library of Fondazione Giorgio Cini which showcases the digital collections of the Venetian institution, IIIF compliant and based on contentDM, a software to store and display digital collections conceived by the largest international library network (OCLC, also full member of IIIF Consortium).

September 23, 2024

3D image-based resources and IIIF

  • Thomas Flynn | IIIF 3D Community Group
  • Richard Allen | Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University
  • John Barrett | Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University
  • Dylan Schirmacher | Bodleian Imaging Services, Oxford University
The IIIF standard, originally designed for 2D images, is being extended to support 3D content. This evolution allows for the sharing, viewing, and annotation of 3D models using the same principles that have made IIIF popular for 2D images. This represents a significant step forward in making rich, interactive media more accessible and usable across a wide range of disciplines.
The lecture introduces the work of the IIIF Consortium and the community, particularly the IIIF 3D Community Group, being the role of IIIF community and users extremely relevant to the development of software and technologies. Moreover, the lecture addresses technical aspects of the recent challenges faced by developers in presenting three-dimensional images within IIIF-compliant viewers. The ARCHiOx team provides updates from the Digital Bodleian platform and shares insights into the ongoing research on implementing 3D viewers with material qualities—such as texture, moving lights, and reflectance—to enhance user experience and deepen the understanding of the artefacts’ materiality.
1/2 Access to image based resources in the context of the IIIF protocol
2/2 Access to image based resources in the context of the IIIF protocol

Three-dimensional digitization

Lucida 3D Scanner recording the surface of a painting © Teresa Casado for Factum Foundation
3D surface model of the predella of Polittico Griffoni by Ercole de' Roberti (Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome) © Factum Foundation
Digital models of Ercole de' Roberti panel of Saint Petronius from the Polittico Griffoni (Pinacoteca Nazionale, Ferrara) © Factum Foundation
Recording Raphael cartoons at Victoria and Albert Museum (London) © Gabriel Scarpa for Factum Foundation
Laas Geel site (Somaliland) recorded with photogrammetry by Otto Lowe © Ferdinand Saumarez Smith for Factum Foundation
3D render relief of Laas Geel site (detail) © Factum Foundation
3D render of the Cellini Bell recorded at British Museum (London) © Irene Gaumé for Factum Foundation

key details

13, 14, 27, 28 October & 4, 18 November 2021
Online on Zoom
4pm — 6pm (CET)

the course

Curated by Carlos Bayod Lucini, project director at Factum Foundation, this 12-hour course aims to expand and deepen understanding of the concepts and practices of 3D digitisation for cultural heritage.

The content is organised into two parts: Input (capturing information) and Output (sharing information). The course explores the theoretical and technical aspects of digital preservation of cultural heritage through the recording, processing, and dissemination of digital outputs and, in some cases, material reproductions of the originals.

Additionally, the classes offer practical demonstrations of the methods and technologies discussed, akin to a workshop. The discussions are enriched with relevant case studies and examples of projects developed by Factum Foundation.

Programme

October 13, 2020

Recording the relief of paintings

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini

Carlos Bayod presents the Lucida 3D Scanner, Factum and ARCHiVe’s system for digitising relief. The class explains the process of planning, capturing, processing, visualising, sharing and reproducing the surface of paintings and other low-relief artifacts for conservation purposes.

October 14, 2021

The Lucida 3D Scanner (practical session)

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini

This class includes practical sessions demonstrating how the recording process with Lucida 3D scanner works, showing the type of software needed and the obtained files.

October 27, 2021

Recording (and reproducing) surface and shape

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini

Class concerning 3D and colour recording of an object’s surface and shape employing close-range photogrammetry and structural light scanning: reliefs, sculptures, architectural elements, rock art, city and landscape, etc. The class explains how these techniques are used for the production of facsimiles through the combination of digital technology and craft skills.

October 28, 2021

Close-range photogrammetry (practical session)

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini
  • Otto Lowe

The practical session concentrates on close-range photogrammetry to record scultpures, architectonic elements and other tridimensional objects. Otto Lowe explains in depth the method, the gear, the softwares needed and the possible outputs of this recording method.

November 4, 2021

Stereo-photometric recording

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini
  • Jorge Cano

In this class we enter Factum laboratories with Jorge Cano discovering the stereo-photometric recording system. This technology is experimented to obtain extremely detailed 3D data from surfaces (as for paitings, impressions, print matrices, engraved surfaces,…).

November 18, 2021

Digital restoration and analysis

  • Carlos Bayod Lucini
  • Irene Gaumé

In the final class, Carlos Bayod and Irene Gaumé analyse new approaches to higher-resolution surface 3D recording and 3D modelling: surface scanning for research and analysis. The concept of digital restoration and its methodologies for non-contact conservation are also talked in depth.

Lecturers

Carlos Bayod Lucini

He is Project Director at the Factum Foundation. His work is dedicated to the development and application of digital technology to the conservation, study and dissemination of Cultural Heritage. Bayod has taught at the MS in Historic Preservation at Columbia University in New York among other institutions, and is a frequent speaker for centers such as Museo del Prado, Harvard Art Museums and Fondazione Giorgio Cini. 

Jorge Cano

He is Head of Technological Research & Development at Factum Arte and Factum Foundation. Cano is an expert in 3D recording, image filtering and Geographical Information Systems. For Factum he has developed several scanners and numerous tools for data processing. His latest design, the Selene Scanner, has been used by the Bodleian Libraries allowing imaging specialists and researchers to look at ancient objects with new eyes.

Irene Gaumé

Irene Gaumé is the head of the 3D design department at Factum Arte and leads re-creation projects at Factum Foundation, where she has pioneered the use of 3D modelling to reconstruct cultural heritage, promoting preservation through innovative technology. Her journey as a 3D artist is rooted in a traditional background in sculpture, dedicated to translating ideas into meticulously researched and rendered objects. With a strong foundation in Fine Arts, Irene has honed her expertise in 3D organic modelling, collaborating with renowned artists.

Otto Lowe

He is Senior 3D Recording Specialists and Project Manager at Factum. Otto has also specialised in teaching photogrammetry to universities and local communities conducting training programmes and workshops for Columbia University (USA), Urbino University (Italy), the Royal Commission for AlUla (Saudi Arabia), Art Jameel (Saudi Arabia), the Peri Foundation (Russia), Tokyo University of the Arts (Japan) and Art UK (United Kingdom).

1/6 Recording the relief of paintings
2/6 The Lucida 3D Scanner
3/6 Recording (and reproducing) surface and shape
4/6 Close-range photogrammetry
5/6 Stereo-photometric recording
6/6 Digital restoration and analysis

3D Digital Investigation for Canvases and Painted Panels

Colour and 3D rendering ofSan Giorgioby Cosmé Tura at Galleria di Palazzo Cini
Detail of the surface ofThe Crucifixionby the Master of the Lindau Lamentation, courtesy of Museum Catharijne Convent
Printing the colour of the facsimile ofThe Crucifixionby the Master of the Lindau Lamentation © Oak Taylor Smith for Factum Foundation
The Lucida 3D Scanner recordingThe Creation of the Animals© Factum Foundation
RecordingThe Creation of the Animalsby Tintoretto at Gallerie dell'Accademia © Factum Foundation
Handwoven historical patterns recostructions at Factum Foundation

key details

7 and 14 March 2024
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CET)

about

Online course featuring two projects undertaken by ARCHiVe, alongside other case studies: the digitisation of the Palazzo Cini Gallery (47 panel paintings) and the digitisation of a painting by Jacopo Tintoretto from the collections of the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice (The Creation of the Animals, 1550-1553). The course offers a detailed examination of the digital recording of these works and the investigative opportunities afforded solely through the three-dimensional digital recording of painting surfaces and supports.

In addition to unveiling 3D digital acquisition techniques, the meetings are intended as moments of restitution and exchange to disseminate the research possible thanks to this type of technology applied to Cultural Heritage. Therefore, the course shares the outcomes of the reconstruction ofTheCrucifixionby the Master of Lamentation from Lindau in Utrecht and the recreation of historical textile patterns derived from digital analyses of pictorial surfaces on both panel and canvas.

Programme

Class 1March 7, 2024

Painting on panel

  • Luca Massimo Barbero | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
  • Sanne Frequin | University of Utrecht
  • Carlos Bayod Lucini | Factum Foundation

Two case studies compared: the three-dimensional recording of panel paintings in the Gallery of Palazzo Cini in Venice and the reconstruction ofTheCrucifixionby the Master of Lamentation of Lindau in Utrecht.

 

On this occasion the results of the first three-dimensional, high-resolution digitisation campaign of the painted panels in Palazzo Cini, carried out by the Factum Foundation in collaboration with the Cini Foundation, will be presented. The campaign is part of the activities promoted by the Foundation to preserve, publicise and make the collections more accessible.

Next, the results of a project to digitise, digitally restore and rematerialise a panel work from the first half of the 15th century, theCrucifixionby the Master of Lamentation of Lindau, the result of a collaboration between Factum Foundation, Museum Catharijne Convent, Utrecht University, Leiden University and Technische Universiteit Delft. The project intends to demonstrate how digital technologies and facsimile production can be part of the decision-making process in the field of conservation, becoming a possible alternative to physical intervention on the objects.

Class 2March 14, 2024

Painting on canvas

  • Cleo Nisse | University of Groeningen
  • Helena Loermans | Lab O
  • Carlos Bayod Lucini | Factum Foundation

The analysis and creation of historical textile patterns and the digitisation of Tintoretto’sThe Creation of Animalsas case studies.

 

The second appointment, dedicated to paintings on canvas and the micro-analysis of the supports, sees the participation of a weaver specialised in the manual creation of historical textile patterns to support technical art history (particularly Italian and Spanish between the 15th and 17th centuries) to present a recent rematerialisation project made possible thanks to the digital acquisition of the original supports. This will be followed by a researcher who focuses her investigations precisely on canvas supports in relation to the pictorial language of Venetian works from Bellini to Tintoretto. In both cases, the aim is to demonstrate how this type of micrometric investigation can now be carried out more comprehensively thanks to high-resolution three-dimensional digital surveys.

lecturers

luca massimo barbero

Historian and critic of modern and contemporary art, he is Director of the Institute of Art History at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, and scientific advisor to the Lucio Fontana Foundation in Milan.He is the author of numerous publications and exhibitions on the art of the Italian post World War II period.

sanne frequin

She is an art historian who specialises in digital art history. Her research focuses on the digital reconstruction of lost or damaged artefacts and on the use of digitised artefacts for research and education. The projects of Sanne Frequin concern mediaeval and early modern art and digital reconstruction.Sanne Frequin is the academic coordinator of the master Art History at Utrecht University.

A portrait of professor Sanne Frequin. A woman wearing glasses smiles at the camera with confidence.

carlos bayod lucini

He is Project Director at the Factum Foundation. His work is dedicated to the development and application of digital technology to the conservation, study and dissemination of Cultural Heritage. Bayod has taught at the MS in Historic Preservation at Columbia University in New York among other institutions, and is a frequent speaker for centers such as Museo del Prado, Harvard Art Museums and Fondazione Giorgio Cini. 

Portrait of architect Carlos Bayod looking intensely at the camera.

cleo nisse

She is Assistant Professor of Early Modern European Art at the University of Groningen. Her research concentrates on the materials, techniques, and meanings of artistic practices, complemented by a concern for how artworks change over time. After postgraduate studies in painting conservation at the Courtauld Institute, her Columbia University PhD investigated the significance of canvas supports for Venetian painting from Bellini to Tintoretto.

A portrait of professor Cleo Nisse smiling at the camera immersed in the nature.

helena loermans

She has been a weaver since 1960. Now a member of CIETA, in 2017 she founded Lab O, a research laboratory focusing on the hand-woven patterned canvases used by the Spanish and Italian Old Masters. Photomicrographs, x-ray images, 3D recordings and softwares for generating weave drafts, allowed Loermans at Lab O, to reconstruct the weave drafts of patterns in Old Master paintings’ canvases and reweave the textiles on a hand loom.

Portrait of the weaver Helena Loermans. A mature woman posing in front of the camera showing confidence and a smiling face. She is wearing a bright yellow tunic and flamboyant necklaces.
1/2 3D Digital Investigation for Canvases and Painted Panels