Infrared reflectography is a non-invasive technique that allows us to observe and study certain techniques and alterations of the works.
It allows:
- To identity underlying drawings and initial tracings of a composition
- To identify petimenti
- To highlight signatures
- To identify the layers chronology
RES is equipped with an infrared reflectography camera from Opus Instruments Ltd which is currently one of the most powerful machines in this field. It allows the identification of all carbon-based elements through the visible paint layer. The factors that determine the permeability of the infrared radiation in the different layers of the painting are the absorption and reflection of the IR rays to the camera by the elements containing carbon. This technique reveals the early stages of a composition as well as alterations invisible to the naked eye.