Investigation of the Effect of the Green Glaze Layer in the Background of Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

Investigation of the Effect of the Green Glaze Layer in the Background of Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer: An Approach using Optical Properties of Paints and Rendering Technique

Harteveld, Guusje (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering)

Dik, J. (mentor)
Geraedts, Jo M.P. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Materials Science and Engineering

2019-05-23

A novel combination of analytical techniques for measuring optical properties of glaze and paint as input for computer modelling is used to investigate the influence of the green glaze layer present on top of the black underpainting in the background of Girl with a Pearl Earring. The absorption spectra of paint layers from paint reconstructions and samples of the original painting were determined using micro spectrophotometry. Additionally, Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) measurements were done on paint reconstructions to determine the reflection distribution from multiple illumination and observation angles. Already existing height and layer thickness information was compiled in a digital 3D model of the painting which, in combination with the optical properties, was used as a base for rendering using the Mitsuba render engine. The experimental results clearly show that the green glaze layer under specific angles darkens the appearance of the black paint onto which it is applied. The computer simulation shows promising results for digitally recreating the painting.

Optical Properties of Paint
BRDF
Fine Art

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:3fe0185f-75bc-4a9d-8a3d-14c42ffc20e7

2019-12-31

Student theses

master thesis

© 2019 Guusje Harteveld