InfrArtSonic INCO-CT-2005-015338 project: Development of a Novel System for Non-Destructive Stratigraphy Determination of Artworks using Acoustic Microscopy and UV/VIS/nIR/mIR spectroscopy

The target of the current work is the development of an integrated non-destructive portable analysis-diagnosis system for the 3D "sampling", archiving & reconstruction of painted artworks. The system will be of a unique and invaluable aid for art historians and restorers in the Mediterranean and pan European area. The InfrArtSonic system will unify different modalities such as acoustic microscopy and UV-VIS-nIR-mIR spectroscopy. Combining the information provided by these two modalities the system is expected to display the depth profile of the paint layers of an artwork as well as the local distribution of the pigments in each of these paint layers. The InfrArtSonic system will constitute an overall, bottom up, powerful tool for the non-destructive detailed documentation of artworks. The system will provide information on: 1. The stratigraphy overview without any sampling. 2. The authenticity of the artwork. 3. Any original underpainting or previous restoration attempts. The painting technique and materials (mainly the inorganic ones) used.