2007 Volume 70 Issue Suppliment Pages 28-29
Digital archiving of graphic art works can significantly contribute to the conservation of these cultural heritage items. Assessment and analyses of the pigments give a promising tool to the artists who work on different aspects of these art pieces such as restoration, and researchers on their history, and provenance. The two main features of the new system are the extremely high resolution, and the capability to determine the original material used non-destructively. Most pigments used in Asian painting and artworks are of mineral origin.
Adapting these techniques to pigment identification is an important innovation in the proposed system. A systematic study of known pigments, raw materials (e. g. Washi) from different periods in history will be conducted to provide a database to be used in the assessment work. Here, we will briefly discuss the methods of calculation for estimation of the compositional and spectroscopic characteristics of the ancient Japanese arts. The proposed system will be a unique analytical instrument that will contribute immeasurably to the appreciation and conservation of cultural heritage.
