A John White Alexander painting: A comparison of imaging technologies for resolving a painting under another painting

Abstract

ABSTRACT Reflectance imaging spectroscopy (RIS) in the visible and near infrared is revolutionizing the way cultural heritage investigators may analyze paintings nondestructively. In an ongoing, highly collaborative project, the authors are investigating a painting by American artist John White Alexander (1856–1915). The painting, titled A Study in Pink, is in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA). An x-radiograph taken in 2014 revealed that there was a painting of another female figure, rotated 180 degrees, underneath the current composition. With this discovery, A Study in Pink became an ideal case study for evaluating the advantages and limitations of nondestructive instrumentation for the purpose of providing useful art historical information on cultural heritage objects. The study examined the information obtained using low cost (US$15,000) as well as high cost (US$300,000) imaging instrumentation. Additionally, the authors are seeking ways of making these technologies robust for in-field non-experts, as well as practical research instruments for undergraduate and graduate education. The preliminary research results revealed that the face of the female figure underneath A Study in Pink could be partially retrieved using RIS multi-spectral imaging equipment operating from 900-1700 nm and more completely revealed using RIS equipment operating from 400-2350 nm.