3D-scan
Variations in height of the paint surface
With this technique, we can measure the variations in height of the paint surface. This not only shows how Rembrandt deliberately created height differences in the paint, but also where small cracks can be found in the paint. In addition, we can visualise height variations of the paint surface as a result of previous restorations and damage.
How does it work?
The principle of height perception is somewhat similar to the way we humans see depth. Because our left and right eyes perceive the same object from a different angle, we experience variations in height. We can mimic this mechanism with the camera set-up. In this way, we record the height differences of the entire Night Watch as a kind of mountain landscape in a height profile map.
The painting is photographed in high resolution with three cameras, which look at the same small piece of canvas from different angles. For each position, a series of photos is taken, each time projecting a different pattern. This pattern helps to relate the images from the different cameras to each other with very high accuracy. From these matched images, we can then calculate the height per point.
In collaboration with
The Night Watch was examined in cooperation with TU Delft using a 3D scanner.