This article was taken from the June 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
More than 52 million people visited just ten of the world's top art museums last year, so their star artworks need to stay in prime condition. But how can you tell which are vulnerable? A team of researchers at University College London has developed an art health check, borrowed from a medical technique that measures blood sugar. The device uses near-infrared light to penetrate the rear of a canvas, creating a chemical map based on the reflected light.
With the help of an app, the type of canvas, fibre length and acidity can be identified. Heritage scientist Matija Strlic says that the product, already tested on Salvador Dalí surrealist works from the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí in Spain, will be market-ready within the next two years, and has drawn interest from English Heritage.
- Using the near-infrared instrument, the researchers shine light on to the canvas through a probe containing two beams: one that strikes the canvas and another that carries the reflected data back into the instrument.
- Differing levels of acidity in each canvas causes the near-infrared wavelengths to be absorbed differently -- so the reflected light from each canvas contains unique information pertaining to its condition and vulnerability.
- The reflected-light data is fed into the app, which converts the wavelength values into a measurement of the pH in the canvas. A pH reading of 4.5-6.0 means high acidity; the scanned art may be too fragile to lend.