Recent progress in the realm of imaging technologies has swiftly disseminated fresh methodologies for representing objects, broadening the horizons for scholars such as art historians, archaeologists, conservators, and conservation scientists. Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) and three-dimensional (3D) modeling via Structure from Motion (SfM) have rapidly gained popularity and are being employed by a wide range of users, expanding the possibilities for understanding objects of material cultural heritage from different perspectives. This paper explores the outcomes achieved through the application of these techniques to gain deeper insights into the surface of a bas-relief within a confined space. This methodology enhanced our understanding of the original sandstone surfaces of the bas-relief by integrating RTI and 3D visualization, thereby acquiring a novel investigative tool with enhanced illumination possibilities. A data fusion approach is proposed using photogrammetry to produce a Virtual RTI (V-RTI). In the case study reported in this paper, focusing on one inner wall of the chapel of Ellesiya at the Museo Egizio of Turin, V-RTI was employed to obtain useful surface information in a context where conventional RTI would have been impossible to achieve. Finally, the study compares the different techniques through direct qualitative and quantitative analysis, highlighting possible future developments from both instrumental and methodological points of view.

In the field of cultural heritage (CH), non-invasive analyses, such as photogrammetry and multiband imaging (MBI), play a pivotal role as effective solutions for examining the morphology, materials, and state of preservation of an artifact. Gathering such information is particularly valuable since these data are complementary and provide a comprehensive perspective for an in-depth study of a wide variety of historically and artistically significant artifacts. Photogrammetry and MBI are commonly utilized for these purposes but typically as separate methodologies. This research seeks to address this limitation by integrating these datasets to enrich the information embedded within a 3D model, thereby facilitating the identification of areas subsequently analyzed using spectroscopic techniques. This study provides an in-depth analysis of two historically significant violins housed at the Museo del Violino in Cremona (Italy) contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of a specific category of artifacts that remains underrepresented in the existing literature. Furthermore, the technical workflow for integrating MBI data using the Physically Based Rendering (PBR) approach and Sketchfab, along with the interpretation of the resulting data, is presented.

Artifacts pertaining to Buddhist culture are often studied in relation to their circulation from India throughout the rest of Asia; however, many traveled to Europe during the last few centuries as trade commodities and pieces for the art market, losing any devotional purpose in favor of a specific aesthetic sensitivity that was typically adapted to Western taste to appeal to collectors. This article presents a technical study of seven polychrome wooden sculptures from the Museo d’Arte Orientale (MAO) in Turin, Italy. Originally from China, these objects are generally attributed to the late Ming–early Qing dynasties (16th–18th centuries) based merely on stylistic and iconographic considerations. Scientific analysis sought to expand the available knowledge on their constituting materials and fabrication techniques, to address questions on their authenticity, to assess their state of preservation, and to trace the history of transformations they have undergone while transitioning from devotional objects to private collection and museum artwork. By delving into the sculptures’ intricate paint stratigraphy, the results were also key to guiding treatment choices. The outcomes of this study were featured in the MAO exhibition “Buddha10. A Fragmented Display on Buddhist Visual Evolution” (October 2022–September 2023).

International Measurement Confederation (IMEKO)