Abstract:

New ways of engaging with cultural heritage have been made possible with advances in computation and imaging that allow scientists to analyze art non-invasively, historians to better address its function and context, and the general public to explore and interact with art objects in ways never before possible. In this talk, I demonstrate how Northwestern's Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts has adapted methods of computational imaging (e.g., photometric stereo, spectral imaging, super-resolution X-ray fluorescence imaging, and other techniques) to reduce artworks into their basic components of form, color, and visual content. These data provide a better understanding of how artists worked, how these objects were used, and how they have aged over time.

Bio:

Marc Walton is co-Director of the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts and Research Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University.Marc earned a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford following an MA in art history, as well as a diploma in the conservation of works of art, from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. After earning his doctorate, Marc worked as an Associate Scientist at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for two years before joining the Getty Conservation Institute in 2005, where he established and ran an analytical laboratory dedicated to the analysis of ancient works of art and artifacts. At the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts, he leads multiple scientific research projects to investigate art objects in collaboration with cultural heritage institutions representing a broad spectrum of disciplines (from anthropology to contemporary art) and geographical reach (both U.S. and internationally). He is also implementing numerous collaborative initiatives with research groups across Northwestern University (Computer Science, Art History, Classics, Materials Sciences, Geochemistry). Marc's research focuses on the trade and manufacture of art objects, and on developing imaging technologies in the field of conservation science.