Art and restoration between innovation and technology
The world of art and restoration is experiencing a period of significant innovation and discovery, transforming traditional methodologies and opening up new perspectives for professionals and enthusiasts.
The adoption of digital tools and sustainable methodologies is revolutionising the restoration sector, which in Italy is worth around 3 billion euros. Advanced technologies, such as 3D scanners and artificial intelligence, improve the conservation and analysis of works of art, making it possible to recognise stylistic influences and correlations between different artists and historical periods. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is becoming a powerful ally in art history, identifying hidden patterns and supporting attributions with in-depth analyses of pigments, pictorial traits and compositions.
Augmented reality is also finding surprising applications in restoration. An innovative example comes from the Institut Valencià de Conservació, Restauració i Investigació (IVCR+i), where experts use special glasses to reveal hidden details in works of art. This technology makes it possible to visualise underlying layers of paint, corrections made by the artist and damage in the pigment, information that traditionally required the use of X-rays or infrared.
Alongside these technological innovations, there are artistic techniques that combine tradition and innovation to preserve and faithfully reproduce masterpieces of the past. One example is Pictography, Bottega Tifernate's exclusive method, developed after years of study and research into ancient painting processes.
Pictography is based on the layering of natural pigments and authentic materials, applied with the same processes used by the great masters of the past. Unlike simple prints or digital reproductions, this method restores the same depth, texture and luminosity to the pictorial surface as the original works, recreating every detail with absolute fidelity. The use of canvases and panels prepared with Renaissance techniques, combined with the manual application of colours and gilding, allows for results that are indistinguishable from the originals, making each piece unique.
Bottega Tifernate, thanks to Pictography, is therefore at the forefront of the dialogue between past and future, contributing to the dissemination and preservation of the artistic heritage with a perfect balance between craftsmanship and technology.