In Figure 1 the object, an X-ray image and a detail of a slice of the 3D image are shown. Most rings were to be found in between the base of the lantern and the edge of the garment of the woman. The first object is a beautiful oak sculpture of a Holy woman with lantern. The scanning was executed at CWI’s state-of-the-art FleX-ray Lab. Together with Marta, we successfully scanned and dated two wooden art objects. Being able to look through these objects reveals a wealth of useful information that would otherwise have remained inaccessible. This adds a new dimension to the investigation of works of art, facilitating (virtual) access to all parts of the objects being investigated and providing new perspectives. The object can then be ‘cut’ virtually, allowing the inspection of the interior. In order to know the exact location and shape of these features, images from all sides are combined to create a 3D representation. A detector registers the intensity of the X-rays after they passed through the object, creating a ‘shadow’ image on which internal features are visible. In CT scanning, the X-rays pass through the object and are absorbed depending on the thickness and density of the material. Of course, art-historical objects such as panel paintings, sculptures and cabinets cannot be cut or sawn, so we decided to try CT scans to reveal the inner tree-ring sequence of several works of art.
Another challenge is to identify the section of the wood where most of the rings can be found, because a higher number of tree rings increases the chance of finding the exact date. For example because they are covered by paint or, as is the case for some panel paintings, by a little frame glued to the edges. In many wooden cultural heritage objects, the rings are not easily accessible on the surface.
She performs dendrochronology: finding out the exact date and provenance of wood by measuring the tree rings. One of these collaborations is with Marta Domínguez-Delmás (University of Amsterdam). It involves both the development and application of new methods suited to this purpose, as the scanning of objects itself. The goals are to tailor the available imaging techniques to the application in cultural heritage research. It is an interdisciplinary project and brings together researchers with different backgrounds and varying research interests. The Impact4Art project is a unique collaborative research project between Computed Tomography (CT) imaging scientists from Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica and conservators and researchers from the Rijksmuseum.
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