Heritage science unlocks new secrets
Using a technique known as Reflective Transformation Imaging (RTI), researchers on the Small Performances project have captured microscopic surface details, revealing the marks left by punchcutters and metalworkers. These traces offer a rare opportunity to study crafts that have largely disappeared.
The digital RTI viewer in action
The digital RTI viewer in action
Maciej Pawlikowski, Project Co-Lead and Head of Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory at Cambridge University Library, explains: “Preparing images for the Cambridge Digital Library collection pushed us to develop new ways of approaching heritage photography. The main aim was to create a resource which, as well as being informative to historians and designers, can also offer insight to contemporary craftspeople."
"The traditional photographs and newly developed 2.5D dynamic viewer (RTI) give users the opportunity to examine the marks left by the punchcutter beyond what’s possible with the naked eye. The project has created a unique opportunity for modern day craftspeople to reconnect with the methods from the past, which were previously lost to the community.”
A newly developed online viewer, launched alongside the digital collection, allows users to interact with the images resulting from the RTI analysis and explore engraving techniques and surface textures in remarkable detail.
Through the analysis, the project team have developed new understandings into Baskerville’s work and his experimentation over time.