Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings
Abstract A novel, non-invasive, imaging methodology, based on the photoacoustic effect, is introduced in the context of artwork diagnostics with emphasis on the uncovering of hidden features such as underdrawings or original sketch lines in paintings. Photoacoustic microscopy, a rapidly growing imag...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2017-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-00873-7 |
| _version_ | 1818343893014413312 |
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| author | George J. Tserevelakis Ilianna Vrouvaki Panagiotis Siozos Krystallia Melessanaki Kostas Hatzigiannakis Costas Fotakis Giannis Zacharakis |
| author_facet | George J. Tserevelakis Ilianna Vrouvaki Panagiotis Siozos Krystallia Melessanaki Kostas Hatzigiannakis Costas Fotakis Giannis Zacharakis |
| author_sort | George J. Tserevelakis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A novel, non-invasive, imaging methodology, based on the photoacoustic effect, is introduced in the context of artwork diagnostics with emphasis on the uncovering of hidden features such as underdrawings or original sketch lines in paintings. Photoacoustic microscopy, a rapidly growing imaging method widely employed in biomedical research, exploits the ultrasonic acoustic waves, generated by light from a pulsed or intensity modulated source interacting with a medium, to map the spatial distribution of absorbing components. Having over three orders of magnitude higher transmission through strongly scattering media, compared to light in the visible and near infrared, the photoacoustic signal offers substantially improved detection sensitivity and achieves excellent optical absorption contrast at high spatial resolution. Photoacoustic images, collected from miniature oil paintings on canvas, illuminated with a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm on their reverse side, reveal clearly the presence of pencil sketch lines coated over by several paint layers, exceeding 0.5 mm in thickness. By adjusting the detection bandwidth of the optically induced ultrasonic waves, photoacoustic imaging can be used for looking into a broad variety of artefacts having diverse optical properties and geometrical profiles, such as manuscripts, glass objects, plastic modern art or even stone sculpture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:37:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd523daf3eb34f0389b9377fa210ae90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:37:49Z |
| publishDate | 2017-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd523daf3eb34f0389b9377fa210ae902022-12-21T23:38:21ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222017-04-017111110.1038/s41598-017-00873-7Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintingsGeorge J. Tserevelakis0Ilianna Vrouvaki1Panagiotis Siozos2Krystallia Melessanaki3Kostas Hatzigiannakis4Costas Fotakis5Giannis Zacharakis6Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasDepartment of Chemistry, University of CreteInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology HellasAbstract A novel, non-invasive, imaging methodology, based on the photoacoustic effect, is introduced in the context of artwork diagnostics with emphasis on the uncovering of hidden features such as underdrawings or original sketch lines in paintings. Photoacoustic microscopy, a rapidly growing imaging method widely employed in biomedical research, exploits the ultrasonic acoustic waves, generated by light from a pulsed or intensity modulated source interacting with a medium, to map the spatial distribution of absorbing components. Having over three orders of magnitude higher transmission through strongly scattering media, compared to light in the visible and near infrared, the photoacoustic signal offers substantially improved detection sensitivity and achieves excellent optical absorption contrast at high spatial resolution. Photoacoustic images, collected from miniature oil paintings on canvas, illuminated with a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm on their reverse side, reveal clearly the presence of pencil sketch lines coated over by several paint layers, exceeding 0.5 mm in thickness. By adjusting the detection bandwidth of the optically induced ultrasonic waves, photoacoustic imaging can be used for looking into a broad variety of artefacts having diverse optical properties and geometrical profiles, such as manuscripts, glass objects, plastic modern art or even stone sculpture.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-00873-7 |
| spellingShingle | George J. Tserevelakis Ilianna Vrouvaki Panagiotis Siozos Krystallia Melessanaki Kostas Hatzigiannakis Costas Fotakis Giannis Zacharakis Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings Scientific Reports |
| title | Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| title_full | Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| title_fullStr | Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| title_short | Photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| title_sort | photoacoustic imaging reveals hidden underdrawings in paintings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-00873-7 |
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