Art Treasures Research Articles

Progressive generative mural image restoration based on adversarial structure learning

As natural aging and human activities continue to pose significant challenges to the preservation of the structural consistency and color fidelity of the ancient murals in China’s Dunhuang Grottoes, mural restoration plays a vital role in safeguarding this invaluable cultural and artistic treasure. This paper presents a progressive image inpainting method grounded in Generative Adversarial Networks, effectively addressing the limitations of traditional methods in handling local distortion and incomplete details. Featuring a deformable convolution-based structure generator and global stabilization mechanisms, the proposed framework includes a gated gradient penalty for model stability and an adaptive loss function. Furthermore, the Mural Image Dataset was constructed using 3264 mural images, with data augmentation applied to enhance model robustness. The experimental results demonstrate 22.21% SSIM, 2.06% PSNR, and 12.69% FID improvements over existing methods, with further gains of 52.43%, 6.79%, and 13.38%, respectively, versus the baseline. These consistent metric advancements confirm the method’s effectiveness.

Digital Reconstruction of Dunhuang Caisson Patterns Incorporated into Interface Design Driven by Innovation

Information visualization design is an emerging communication style in the field of media communication, this paper analyzes the elements, symbols and colors of Huangmei Opera from the perspective of visualization design, and ex-plores the design process, content and methodology of the "Picture Descrip-tion of Huangmei Opera" series of posters and derivatives design practice as an ex-ample. We also take the "Huangmei Opera" series poster design and deriva-tive design practice as an example to explore the design process, design content and design method of information visualization design, to present the art form of Huangmei Opera to the audience in a more intuitive and attractive way, and to provide feasible solutions for the inheritance and innovation of excellent tra-di-tional culture.As a treasure of Dunhuang culture and art, the Dunhuang algal well pattern contains rich historical and cultural connotations and exquisite artistic skills, and has immeasurable artistic aesthetic value and diversified ap-plication value. In the context of innovation-driven, the integration of Dunhuang zaojing pattern into interface design and digital reconstruction can not only inherit and carry forward Dunhuang culture, but also inject new vi-tal-ity into the interface design. The article introduces the content and charac-teris-tics of Dunhuang zaojing pattern, analyzes the feasibility and value of its inte-gration into interface design, discusses the methods and paths of digital recon-struction, and analyzes it through actual cases, aiming to provide theo-retical support and practical reference for promoting the deep integration of Dunhuang culture and modern interface design.

Exploring India’s Culture And Heritage Museums In India

This project has the objective of creating a webbased interactive application that highlights India's multifaceted cultural heritage by means of its museums. The focal point of the application is an interactive map of India which allows users to click on different states to view a curated list of unique museums. Each museum's entry comprises of a brief description along with the essential details like the name of the museum, its location, and what noteworthy exhibits are showcased. Features such as search, filtering, and sorting are added to the application aimed at enhancing user experience in terms of ease in navigating through the content region wise, by interest, or other geographic areas. The application aims to make cultural knowledge accessible, raise awareness to India’s historical artistic treasures, and stimulate virtual and real excursion to the museums in the country. The interactive features of the application include hoverbased popups on the map. When a given user hovers on a state an overview Culture of the state is shown popups indicating the spatial distributions of culture with the number of museums under that state. Such instant feedback offers users an interactive experience while navigating the map, allowing them to make decisions about which regions to dive deeper into without needing to click or refresh the page

Research on the Artistic Characteristics and Aesthetic Connotations of Folk Paper-Cutting in Northern Anhui

Northern Anhui folk paper-cutting, a treasure of Chinese folk art, has a unique artistic charm. This study takes paper-cutting among the northern Anhui folk art as its object, comprehensively utilizing the research methods of literature col-la-tion, field study, and in-depth analysis from both art and sociological per-spec-tives. The unique artistic style of folk paper-cutting in northern Anhui Province, along with its remarkable aesthetic characteristics, is discussed in depth. The analysis of its historical origin, artistic characteristics, and aesthetic inner value further reveals the important value of northern Anhui folk pa-per-cutting in the field of art, in order to enhance awareness of its inheritance and protection

From the Georgian Christian Art Treasure: Two New Exhibits of the University of Georgia in Tbilisi

The Medieval Christian art treasures of Georgia are particularly rich in metal artifacts. These works are characterized by a wide typological, technological, iconographic, and stylistic diversity. Their chronology is extensive, and their composition is varied. This group mainly includes chased, engraved, or stamped crosses, icons, and liturgical items made primarily of gold and silver, though occasionally of copper or bronze. While a significant portion of these artifacts has already been studied, numerous examples of metal plastic arts, still unknown, lesser-known, and unstudied, remain in Georgian museums, churches, and private collections. The present article introduces two previously unknown ecclesiastical items made of silver, belonging to the Museum of the University of Georgia: a pendant icon and a reliquary cross, which are noteworthy works from functional, substantive, and artistic perspectives. This article serves as the first publication of these items. It aims to disclose their comprehensive research results and incorporate these artifacts into scientific circulation.

Antiquities from the bequest of Abraham Kirkmann at Browsholme Hall

A remarkable network of connoisseurs and antiquaries has been revealed in the process of searching out the antiquities collected by Abraham Charles Kirkmann and those conveyed by his will (1866) to Thomas Goulbourne Parker of Browsholme Hall. He also bequeathed a large collection of pictures, mainly historical prints, including a portrait of S.R. Meyrick, to the Honourable Society of Greys Inn Court. J. M.W. Turner had painted the exterior of Browsholme, c.1800, and it was probably through Thomas Lister Parker, a previous owner, that Sir John Leicester, of Tabley, Parker’s cousin, and his friend Walter Fawkes of Farnley, became the painter’s principal patrons in the north of England. Turner took a great interest in the weapons and armour of the Civil War at Farnley and made an album of watercolours entitled ‘Fairfaxiana’. Kirkmann was a friend of Thomas Goulborne Parker and an intimate of Samuel Rush Meyrick for whom he searched out books and artefacts to add to the collections at Goodrich Court. In 1857, the year before his death, T.L. Parker, visited the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition, a vast display which attracted over one million visitors and included a large selection of Meyrick’s weapons and armour arranged by J.R. Planché.

SENI KALIGRAFI SEBAGAI MEDIA DAKWAH DAN PENDIDIKAN ISLAM

The art of calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing which is one of the characteristics of Islamic art. The art of calligraphy not only has aesthetic value, but also the value of worship and preaching. This research aims to examine the role and function of calligraphy art as a medium for Islamic da'wah and education in Indonesia. The research method used is a qualitative method with a descriptive analytical approach. Research data was obtained from literature studies. The research results show that the art of calligraphy has an important role in conveying Islamic messages, enriching the treasures of Islamic art and culture, and increasing the appreciation and creativity of Muslims. The function of calligraphy art as a medium for Islamic da'wah and education includes educative, informative, motivational, inspirational and transformative functions.

Construction and Innovative Development of Modern Inheritance System for Tibetan Thangka Drawing Skills

This article discusses the construction and innovative development path of Tibetan Thangka drawing skills. As a treasure of Tibetan religious painting art, Thangka has profound historical and cultural value and unique artistic style. Its drawing skills strictly follow traditional rituals, integrate the multiple connotations of religion, culture and art, and are an important carrier of Tibetan culture. However, the traditional inheritance model of Thangka faces many challenges in modern society, such as the limitations of master-apprentice inheritance, insufficient policy support, and weakening of cultural identity. To meet these challenges, this article proposes a framework design for building a modern inheritance system, including government-led, social participation, inheritor core, education support and scientific and technological empowerment. At the same time, it emphasizes improving the Thangka education system, exploring digital inheritance methods, and promoting the combination of traditional skills and modern design to achieve the innovative development of Thangka art. Through marketization and industrialization exploration, technology empowering Thangka inheritance, and creating a unique Thangka art commercial brand, this article aims to promote the creative transformation and sustainable development of Thangka art in modern society, so that it can bring new vitality and vitality on the basis of maintaining its traditional characteristics.

Research on the virtual restoration of faded Dunhuang murals with a global attention mechanism

The Mogao Grottoes, located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor in Dunhuang, constitute a splendid artistic treasure trove of ancient Chinese civilization. However, due to various external factors, such as the environment and human activities, existing murals commonly suffer from fading and discoloration problems. The utilization of color restoration techniques grounded in deep learning promise perpetual preservation of mural images. Nevertheless, it is challenging to acquire a substantial number of authentic fading images and corresponding reference images as paired data for training, which constrains the scope of research and development in the domain of mural color restoration. The images generated by the current color restoration methods based on cycle generative adversarial networks suffer from poor semantic consistency, blurred edges, false colors and artifacts, and other mismatches with human visual perception. This paper proposes a novel approach of color restoration for unpaired mural images that uses cycle-consistent generative adversarial networks with an attention mechanism and a spectral normalization discriminator to address key challenges. First, to reduce the false colors and artifacts in the restored image caused by the insufficient extraction of mural detail features, a global attention mechanism based on a combination of average pooling and maximum pooling is constructed in the generator. This mechanism is designed to learn the effective information of the feature maps adaptively. In addition, we employ an SN-Patch discriminator to enhance the training stability and convergence speed of the model and improve the clarity of the color restored image. Finally, to further optimize the generated images, the network applies a composite loss function, a linear combination of adversarial loss, cycle consistency loss, identity mapping loss, and cyclic perceptual consistency loss, which contribute to improving texture quality and generating visually more natural color-restored images. The findings from the experiments conducted on both simulated and genuine faded mural images illustrate that the introduced approach outperforms others in terms of both objective and subjective evaluation standards, achieving a more precise recreation of the colors and intricate details present in the faded mural imagery.

Naming streets after artists strengthens an effort of Bandung creative city branding

Background: Streets in Bandung are predominantly named after heroes and military figures, and none of them are named after artists despite Bandung’s branding as a Creative City. Purpose: This study aimed to map community readiness in Bandung, through the representation of the pentahelix stakeholders, to assess the feasibility of using artists’ names for street names. This community readiness was then analyzed in correlation to the city branding indicator, the City Branding Hexagon by Anholt (2007). Methods: The study used a descriptive qualitative method with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for the primary data collection and a literature study for the secondary data. FGDs were conducted with ten participants from Pentahelix stakeholders (academics, government, business entities and/or actors, society or community, and mass media) who represented the people of Bandung City. Data validity checking was conducted through in-depth interviews with socio-economic experts. Results: The idea of naming artists as street names was welcomed by the majority of the Pentahelix elements who became informants in this study. The three artists who received support to be named as street names were Udjo Ngalagena, Harry Roesli, and Barli Sasmitawinata. The idea of naming artists as street names can strengthen the city branding of Bandung as a Creative City, which potentially improves the city’s economy, especially from the tourism aspect. Conclusion: Naming streets after artists in Bandung City could arouse the local artistic and cultural scene, which can be exploited to generate a creative platform to enhance the city’s artistic treasures and fortify Bandung City’s reputation as a creative hub. Implications: The implications of naming Harry Roesli as a street name arise. The location of Harry Roesli Music House is on a street that is the name of a national hero. For this reason, embedding Harry Roesli’s name needs to go through a special approach or determine a new location outside of his artistic site.

Treasures of Opera Art: A Study of the Aesthetic Features in Puccini’s Works

Giacomo Puccini is a great master in the history of Italian opera. His works not only have profound artistic value in music creation, but also show rich aesthetic characteristics. Puccini's opera works are famous for their lyricism, drama and exquisite description of music. This paper discusses the aesthetic characteristics of Puccini's opera works, analyze his creative style, musical characteristics and the expression of piano accompaniment, and reveal how these characteristics make his works transcend the times and become the treasure of the world's opera art.

Qingyang sachet in Gansu province: A Preliminary Investigation on Sustainable Development of Local Traditional Handicraft

As a local traditional handicraft, Qingyang sachet in Gansu province not only carries a strong local cultural heritage, but also an important part of China's intangible cultural heritage. However, under the impact of modernization and globalization, its inheritance and development face many challenges. Using Creswell's nine-key step framework for qualitative data analysis, a study on Qingyang sachets in Gansu Province, China, identified four research questions through ethnography, literature studies, IPAR methodology, in-depth interviews, observations, and group discussions. Local Qingyang volunteers participated as discussants, interviewers, and observers for target groups including government officials, workers, artisans, managers, and designers. The study found that Qingyang sachets, also known as "Chu Chu," are a folk custom reflecting the simplicity, health, and positivity of the laboring people, embodying the broad and profound spirit of ancient Chinese civilization. These sachets, with strong traditional senses and exquisite handmade work, are treasures of folk art that include embroidery, dyeing, and other craft processes. The handmade silk pouches, stuffed with Chinese herbal medicines and embroidered with colorful patterns, symbolize optimism, good luck, and the avoidance of evil. The research aims to provide ideas for the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts and provide reference for the protection and inheritance of other intangible cultural heritage projects.

Оptimization of the composition of neutral gases for fire extinguishing in museum reservoirs

An effective fire extinguishing system has been created for extinguishing fires in museum warehouses with a mixture of neutral gases that do not distort museum artistic values and are able to compete with the best foreign examples of volumetric gas fire extinguishing systems. The proportion of the gas mixture consisting of argon, nitrogen and carbon dioxide has been optimized for fire extinguishing of museum art treasures. Taking into account the requirements of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer, an analysis of the state of the issue and the specifics of the solution to the problem of gas extinguishing fires in art museums and their fund storages was carried out. The direction of improvement of the existing automatic volumetric fire extinguishing installations with neutral gases has been determined. An effective and relatively inexpensive composition of a mixture of neutral gases has been developed for use in volume extinguishing of possible fires in fund repositories and museums, which ensures the preservation of material and artistic-aesthetic values without their distortion. Volume fractions of two mixtures of neutral gases № 14 (CO2=50 %, N2=40 %, Ar=10 %) and № 15 (СО2= 40 %, N2=50 %, Ar=10 %) were determined, which are close by its composition and have the best fire-extinguishing efficiency indicators in terms of extinguishing time of the model fire 4.6 s and 4.8 s. A test laboratory stand was created, as an analogue of a volumetric gas fire extinguishing installation with a mixer of the components of the proposed working mixture of neutral gases, on which the indicators of the effectiveness of extinguishing model fires were worked out when extinguishing samples of various fragments of artistic underdrawings on parts of line and Whatman. The technical parameters of the working chamber of the laboratory stand are substantiated, and the rational ratio of pressures filling the stand mixer with components of a mixture of neutral gases is recognized based on its mathematical model, which makes it possible to improve existing industrial installations of various sizes. The price reduction of the proposed neutral gas is justified.

Aesthetic Characteristics and Social Function Analysis of Lisu Ethnic Costume Art

The clothing of the Lisu ethnic group, as a splendid and colorful national art treasure, has aesthetic value far beyond visual stunning. Each stitch and thread contains the ingenuity of the craftsman and the delicate expression of national emotions, highlighting a unique blend of primitive and modern charm. The clever combination of complexity and simplicity not only reflects the profound understanding and awe of the Lisu people towards the natural world, but also reflects their pursuit of a harmonious and symbiotic life philosophy. In terms of color, the clothing of the Lisu ethnic group is known for its vibrant and eye-catching appearance. Through the clever combination of high saturation colors such as red, yellow, and blue, it conveys a love for life and a longing for the future. In terms of pattern design, cultural elements such as myths and legends, totem worship, etc. are integrated, which not only traces the memory of ancestors but also serves as an important carrier for the inheritance of national culture. In social occasions, the clothing of the Lisu ethnic group is a symbol of identity and status. It is like a vivid historical picture, silently telling the story of the nation, strengthening the cohesion and sense of identity within the ethnic group, and playing an irreplaceable role in promoting ethnic unity and harmonious development.

The Impact of AI and VR/AR Technologies on Yuan Blue-and-White Porcelain Art

Yuan blue-and-white porcelain, a treasure of Chinese ceramic art, is renowned worldwide for its unique artistic value and cultural significance. With the continuous advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the artistic innovation of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain is experiencing new opportunities. AI technology not only improves the efficiency and quality of creation but also breaks through traditional physical limitations, enabling the creation of more diverse and creative artworks. By integrating augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, AI provides new ways to display and interact with Yuan blue-and-white porcelain art. In non-physical artistic innovation, AI generates new designs through deep learning algorithms, breaking free from the constraints of traditional handmade processes and creating diverse works. Technologies like generative adversarial networks (GANs) can produce highly realistic Yuan blue-and-white designs, while convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can quickly generate design sketches, enhancing creative efficiency. AI can also optimize designs, improving the artistic quality and visual effects of the works.AR and VR technologies offer immersive experiences and interactivity for the audience. Through virtual exhibition spaces and AR applications, viewers can appreciate Yuan blue-and-white artworks as if they were physically present, enhancing interactivity and visual appeal. VR technology, through virtual exhibitions and other means, enhances the viewing experience and impact of the artworks. The application of AI technology in the non-physical artistic innovation of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain not only enhances creation efficiency and quality but also brings limitless possibilities to artistic creation. The combination of AR and VR technologies further enhances the visual appeal and interactivity of Yuan blue-and-white art. As technology continues to advance, AI will play an increasingly important role in the artistic innovation of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain, creating more splendid artworks.

Study on Paths for External Communication and Marketing Strategy of Shu Embroidery in the New Era

As a treasure of Chinese traditional embroidery art, Shu embroidery has important artistic, cultural and social value. However, in the process of international market promotion, Shu Embroidery faces the challenge of external communication and marketing strategy. Therefore, it is necessary to display the unique charm and artistic value of Shu embroidery through multiple channels such as in-depth exploration of the cultural connotation of Shu embroidery, upgrading the brand, optimizing the industrial management and training professional talents, so as to enhance its global popularity and promote its spread and development in the international market.

Conservation of Yuan Dynasty Caisson Paintings in the Puzhao Temple, Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, China

Caisson paintings are an integral part of the unique interior decoration ceiling of traditional Chinese architecture. There are a large number of Yuan Dynasty caisson paintings in the Puzhao Temple, in Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, China. These caisson paintings have exquisite patterns and rich colors, which are rare artistic treasures of the Yuan Dynasty. In the history of nearly 700 years, due to various environmental and human factors, the caisson paintings have experienced various degradation; for example, the paper of the caisson paintings is acidified, the surface is polluted, the color is faded, mottled, and it is difficult to identify. Therefore, their protection is vital. In order to ensure the scientific and targeted development of the protection scheme, this study conducted a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the paper fibers, pigments, adhesives, wood supports, and pollutants of the caisson paintings and carried out a series of protection experiments in the field and laboratory, providing a step-by-step review of the protection treatment application for the caisson paintings. Mechanical and wet cleaning were used to remove the pollutants. The caisson painting was deacidified with a barium hydroxide ethanol solution, and the paper and pigments of the caisson painting were strengthened with water-based fluorine. Several conservation problems, such as the removal of pollutants, the deacidification of acidified paper, and the reinforcement of flaking paper and pigments, were solved. Meanwhile, good conservation and restoration results for caisson paintings were obtained. This research method of combining theory and practice has greatly improved the scientificity and success rate of conservation work. These research results provide valuable experience and reference for other caisson paintings in similar environments.

The Inheritance and Development of “Intangible Cultural Heritage ” : A Case Study of Zhejiang Taizhou Embroidery

From the needle boneless lanterns in Xianju during the Tang Dynasty to the unearthed artifacts of Huangyan Lingshi Temple in the Northern Song Dynasty, to the carved embroidery of Haimen in the late Qing Dynasty, the history of embroidery in Taizhou has a long and profound history. After several generations of inheritance, development, and historical and cultural accumulation, Taizhou Embroidery has now become one of the artistic treasures of Taizhou culture and even Chinese culture. This paper then is to discuss how to promote Taizhou Embroidery from Zhejiang by using “big data” under the background of the “national trend craze”, and through research on the awareness of Taizhou Embroidery at home and abroad, it reflects the reasons for the necessity of promotion, the challenges faced by promotion, and the corresponding strategies for promotion.

Research on the Cooperation Between Guqin Performance and Recitation of Ancient Poems

Guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems are the treasures of China's traditional art, and they are mutually integrated and complementary. This paper carries out an in-depth study on the cooperation between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems from the aspects of cultural background, mutual relationship, cooperation practice, aesthetic value and educational significance. Firstly, by elaborating the cultural connotation of guqin and ancient poems, it analyzes the artistic characteristics of guqin performance and ancient poems recitation, as well as the purpose and significance of the study. Secondly, the interrelationship between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems was explored, including the intrinsic connection between music and poetry, the fit between guqin music and ancient poems, and the application of guqin performance techniques in the recitation of ancient poems. Then, the principles and methods of cooperation between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems, as well as the difficulties and solution strategies in the process of cooperation are analyzed with practical cases. Then, the aesthetic value of the cooperation between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems is discussed in terms of the integration of music and poetry, the artistic expressiveness of performance and recitation, and the aesthetic experience of the audience. Finally, the educational significance of the cooperation between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems is discussed, including the inheritance of traditional culture, the cultivation of artistic literacy and the improvement of comprehensive quality. The purpose of this paper is to provide theoretical guidance for the cooperation between guqin performance and recitation of ancient poems, in order to promote the inheritance and development of this traditional art form.

Pingit Film: A Problematic Expression of the Distortion of Javanese Traditional Wedding Traditions

Pingit Film is the manifestation of the tradition of ‘pingit’ that has been adapted and/or eroded by modernization. This work is created in addition to being an entertainment medium, it also contains messages that ‘pingit’ that is not in accordance with the existing standards will make the purpose blurred. The process of creating this film combines the concepts of realism and surrealism. This combination is intended to give a clear limit to the character’s mind. The audience is invited not only to watch and listen, but also to feel what is in the mind of the character, indecision, doubt, overthinking, negative thinking because of the things he has just experienced. This experience poured into the form of sound and images, in this context is lighting and color grading. This work is certainly a form of contribution to the treasures of science and art.