This project is part of the three- and two-dimensional recording plan of the collections of Fondazione Giorgio Cini in high resolution for preservation, dissemination and study purposes, increasing at the same time the knowledge of the heritage. Moreover, the outputs are intended to improve the accessibility of the heritage both for schools’ students and scholars and for a greater public.

In February 2023 Factum Foundation completed the recording of the paintings collection of Palazzo Cini Gallery (47 paintings), coordinating with the staff of the Technical Department of Fondazione Cini and the Institute of Art History, and based on the information provided by the director of the Institute, responsible for the Cini art collection. All used systems are non-contact, high resolution methods especially developed or adapted for the field of art documentation, completely safe for the original artworks. The recording systems include the following: Lucida 3D Scanner (for capturing the surface texture of paintings and other low-relief objects); panoramic composite photography (for capturing the colour).

When possible, paintings have been recorded unframed, placing the canvas or panels on an easel with the surface plane perpendicular to the floor (as both the Lucida 3D scanning and the panoramic photography processes require to operate). When it was not possible to remove the frames or to unhang a painting from the wall, the team recorded the painting and frame in their usual location, adapting as much as possible the system to the requirements of each piece. In all cases, it was necessary to remove any protective glass for high resolution recording.

In June 2023, factum experts completed the post-processing of the data, giving as first result a multilayer viewer to inspect in depth both the colour surface and the 3D for each painting. The work provides an accurate database that will help monitor the conservation state of the paintings, study the works in detail both as images and physical objects and disseminate their artistic and historic value.

This will then lead to the creation of online virtual tours and didactic contents for people who are unable to come to Venice and for all scholars with disabilities. A ministerial grant application has been submitted to receive fundings to cover part of the costs of this project and to allow for further documentation.