A few years ago at a Leica GeoSystems HDS User Conference there was a presentation on the research being done by Maurizio Seracini and others concerning the laser scanning of a mural located in the Salone dei Cinquecento – the Hall of 500 in Florence, Italy’s City Hall.
Now comes word that there is renewed hope that a lost Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece is actually behind another priceless 16th Century mural. Using a tiny camera, the researchers snapped pictures of a telltale hollow space behind Giorgio Vasari’s “Battle of Marciano”— and a brick wall.
The project has been halted a number of times by public outcry that damage is being done to Vasari’s work. There was actually concern that the laser scanner might be damaging the painting. This is certainly a challenge even for these digital heritage preservation experts. Important lessons will be learned here.
