2022
ARCHiVe has successfully concluded the first high-resolution digital recording of a significant tapestry from the Fondazione Giorgio Cini collection: The Entry into Palestine of the Army of Vespasian.
Current équipe
- Luca Massimo Barbero | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
- Carlos Bayod Lucini | Factum Foundation
- Costanza Blaskovic | Factum Foundation
- Teresa Casado | Factum Foundation
- Chiara Casarin | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
- Osama Dawod | Factum Foundation
- Carolina Gris | Factum Foundation
- Eduardo Lopez | Factum Foundation
- Ilenia Maschietto | Fondazione Giorgio Cini
the project
Dated between 1470 and 1480, this Franco-Flemish tapestry, crafted from cartoons by the Master of Coëtivy, stands as one of the earliest and most pivotal pieces in the entire collection. It is part of a series depicting the destruction of Jerusalem.
Recently recognized as the right half of another textile work housed in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Lyon, the tapestry’s recording, preservation, and restoration have become top priorities for the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. The digital documentation of the tapestry’s surface marks a crucial stride in comprehending its material structure. ARCHiVe undertook a comprehensive documentation process, capturing the tapestry’s shape, texture, and color through a blend of 3D and 2D non-contact scanning technology.
objectives
The project’s objective is to facilitate the preservation, study, and dissemination of the collection’s tapestries through the utilization of digital technologies.
Developments
1. PRELIMINARY PHASE
Following a preliminary assessment and careful selection of the tapestries based on their preservation status, the chosen piece has been relocated to ARCHiVe in anticipation of the recording process. A training session was conducted for the team to adeptly handle the manipulation and unrolling of the tapestry. The tapestry was strategically positioned in a horizontal orientation on the floor, placed atop a protective cloth.
The scanner structure was then configured horizontally, facing downward to capture the surface of the tapestry consistently from a fixed distance of approximately 10 cm. This scanning apparatus was securely mounted on a bridge-like structure spanning about 4 m.
2. recording
The Factum Foundation team conducted a high-resolution 3D and colour recording of the tapestry using advanced non-contact digital technology, specifically tailored for the preservation of art and heritage. Lucida is designed to digitise the surface of low-relief objects with high precision. Composite photography produces a single colour image through the integration of multiple photographs in high resolution. The combination of these individual photographs ensures accuracy up to an average error of less than 1 pixel. It’s noteworthy that the colour recording took place separately from the 3D scanning, encompassing both the front and back of the tapestry. The camera was securely affixed to the bridge-like frame at a distance of approximately 50-70 cm.
3. image processing
The final phase involves image processing and the development of a visualisation browser to explore the tapestry (both its color and texture) at a high resolution.
The digital acquisition of the object is crucial for accurately documenting its current state of preservation, monitoring changes over time and assessing possible restoration processes. But it is also fundamental for art historical research, as browser-based visualisation allows analysis in a completely new and enhanced way compared to the past.
Results
The recording of the tapestries constitutes a component of ARCHiVe’s initiative to digitise the entire island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. This comprehensive effort spans from the architectural level to the precise sub-millimetre scanning of particular artworks and documents within the Fondazione Giorgio Cini collections.
The result is available for online viewing through a multi-layered browser developed by Factum.
