Stained-glass windows are very particular artifacts; they not only have an intrinsic artistic and historical meanings, but also a functional role, strictly connected to the buildings where they were originally placed. The investigation of these artifacts is a challenging research opportunity, due to their optical, chemical and physical characteristics. However, these properties could change with time, depending on the raw materials used, or due to exposure in a very aggressive environment. For this reason, developing imaging techniques that could both digitize and document the morphological/chemical changes of these objects, would solve two important issues: first, it would be possible to obtain a digital model of the object, ensuring the preservation of the objects for the future; second, it would be possible to get information on the materials employed, the ways they change with time, and how these changes modify the final appearance of the artwork.. In this paper a proposal for a more systematic application of spectral imaging to stained glass is presented, discussing challenges and potential of the technique.
Agnese Babini, Sony George, Tiziana Lombardo, Jon Yngve Hardeberg, "Potential and Challenges of Spectral Imaging for Documentation and Analysis of Stained-Glass Windows" in Proc. IS&T London Imaging Meeting 2020: Future Colour Imaging, 2020, pp 109 - 113, https://doi.org/10.2352/issn.2694-118X.2020.LIM-27