Methodology for 3D acquisition of highly reflective goldsmithing artefacts

Abstract

The goldsmithing pieces conserved in museums are fragile objects whose accessibility for both research and mediation purposes lacks dematerialized systems for the safe handling of objects. The research presented is part of the e-thesaurus project whose main objective is to improve the accessibility of masterpieces of goldsmithing - produced during the medieval period in the northern regions of France and today’s Belgium - both for research and mediation purposes. The methodology for 3D acquisition of objects with high levels of details and reflective properties must be further developed and affirmed in order provide controlled datasets that are suitable for researchers of the field and accurate for mediation application. The proposed project is the result of a collaboration between the IRHiS UMR CNRS of the University of Lille and the University of Liège. The proposed methodology leads to the 3D reconstruction of masterpieces of goldsmithing. The models developed serve as a basis for a mediation through holographic representation. They recently participated in an exhibition in the Treasure of the Cathedral of Liège museum.