SCANNER IRThe IR SCANNER is an infrared reflectographer. The infrared reflectography is an optical technique successfully used in the analisys of old paintings (on wood, canvas or wall, fresco excluded). The IR Reflectography allows to display artists scketches behind the paint layer. By this technique is also allowed to disclose presence of hidden layings previous to the final one.PRODUCT FAMILIES

SCANNER IRWHAT IS THE IR REFLECTOGRAPHYIt is an optical technique to analyse paintings.

It works in the so called Near InfraRed wavelengths (N.I.R.), thats between around 0.8 mm and 2.5 mm.

Its major use is the detection of details hidden underneath layings, among which there is the underdrawing.

SCANNER IRA COMPARISON BETWEEN TECHNOLOGIES

CCD NIR camera, working from visible to 1.1 mmgood resolution, but unsuitable to see underneath many type of pigments

VIDICON camera (PbS), working from visible to 2.2 mmboth resolution and contrast rather scarcegood behaviour with the majority of pigments

SCANNER IR, working from 0.9 mm to 1.7 mminsuperable resolutionvery high contrastexcellent visibility underneath any kind of pigments

SCANNER IRThe IR SCANNER combines to the good visibility achieved by a Vidicon tube an excellent contrast, a more extended tone range and a very high spatial resolution, as it is briefly reported below.

Spatial Resolution: 4 pixel/mm (16 pixel/mm2), equal to 101.6 dpi

Tone Range: 4096 levels of gray

Working Wavelength: 900 1700 nm

Acquisition Area: 1 m2

Dimensions of digital image: 4000 * 4000 pixelBASIC FEATURES

OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURESVertical Scan Speed ~ 0.2 m/s (this data immediately informs about the total time of acquisition: for example 6 hours for 1 m2 area)Distance between optical head and painting: ~ 150 mmImage Format: RAW 16 bit (for reflectograms relevant to 1 m2 area, the image dimension is ~ 32 MB)Increment of vertical stroke by a rigid module on Y axis, to scan areas as tall as 2 m, by simply moving initial position of the optical headUse of a standard notebook as PC;SCANNER IR

SCANNER IRIt is an element made of three detectors working at the wavelengths of the Red, the Green, the Blue.

It allows acquisition of three images in the visible, which will be then processed by a dedicated graphic software which will make up one colour image.The Optical Head, equipped with the RGB Module, therefore acquires both the IR reflectogram and the colour image.Since these two images are perfectly aligned and have same spatial resolution, they are perfectly superposable. This is absolutely impossible with traditional colour images, because of their optical distortion and of scarce optical resolution, comparing to an IR reflectogram.The dimension of an RGB image, stored in RAW format at 16 bit, and relevant to 1 m2 is about 96MB.THE COLOUR HEAD MODULE (RGB)

THE PORTABLE VERSIONFALCON has designed and manufactured a convenient portable version of the IR SCANNER, having the following features:

- modularity- lightness- ergonomic design- very fast decomposability - limited number of modules- modules portable in wheeled containers1200 mm 1500 mm18002500 mm (*)SCANNER IR

Matteo di Giovanni Madonna colBambino equattro Santi(detail - Duomo of Pienza)from Reflectogram to ..... RGB image !SCANNER IR

Maddalena - Dutch School -XVI century(London - National Gallery)from IRRGBSCANNER IRto

Giovanni Bellini - Madonna col Bambinodetail of underdrawingfor the handsdetail of underdrawingfor the Jesus headSCANNER IR

GiorgioneLa Tempestapentimentounder AntenoresfigureSCANNER IR