An improved methodology for extending the applicability of Reflectance Transformation Imaging to confined sites

Recent advances in the field of imaging technologies rapidly spread new methods of representing cultural heritage, expanding the possibilities for art historians, archaeologists, conservators and conservation scientists. In this regard, Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) and three-dimensional (3D) modeling using close-range photogrammetry have become rapidly common and widely used by an heterogeneous public, multiplying the possibilities of understanding artworks from different points of view. This paper discusses the results that were achieved by applying these techniques to better understand the surface of a basrelief owned by the Museo Egizio of Turin (Italy) in a confined site. We were able to successfully enhance the volume of engravings by integrating both RTI and 3D visualization to obtain a new investigation tool with a more suitable illumination.