Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries

The conservation of historic tapestries is crucial due to the fragility of their materials and their cultural relevance. This paper reports on an investigation into the development of HeriTex, a non-invasive, innovative system for evaluating the structural integrity of historic tapestries, with a pa...

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Main Authors: Bárbara Sánchez-Cancela, Antonio Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena, Daniel Vázquez Molini, Verónica García Blanco, Almudena López Sánchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Heritage
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/5/153
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author Bárbara Sánchez-Cancela
Antonio Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena
Daniel Vázquez Molini
Verónica García Blanco
Almudena López Sánchez
author_facet Bárbara Sánchez-Cancela
Antonio Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena
Daniel Vázquez Molini
Verónica García Blanco
Almudena López Sánchez
author_sort Bárbara Sánchez-Cancela
collection DOAJ
description The conservation of historic tapestries is crucial due to the fragility of their materials and their cultural relevance. This paper reports on an investigation into the development of HeriTex, a non-invasive, innovative system for evaluating the structural integrity of historic tapestries, with a particular focus on measuring material loss. The research analyzed the relationship between transmitted infrared radiation and the weight loss per unit area (expressed in g/cm<sup>2</sup>) in the weakened areas of the tapestry. As a necessary first step, the system was calibrated using a limited range of wool thread weights before conducting experimental measurements on a historic tapestry fragment provided by the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid. The investigation demonstrated a strong correlation between the transmittance values and the loss of material weight per unit area. The results showed that the transmittance decreases exponentially as the weight per unit area increases. By applying a non-linear least squares (NLLS) fitting model, additional weight per unit area values in the tapestry were estimated based on their corresponding transmittance values. The HeriTex system enables the identification, quantification, and mapping of damage regions, demonstrating its potential as a valuable tool for more accurate assessment of the condition of historic tapestries by providing quantitative data on their structural integrity.
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spelling doaj-art-dcce270ef3b842c1bd914af1a052eb712025-08-20T03:14:42ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-04-018515310.3390/heritage8050153Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic TapestriesBárbara Sánchez-Cancela0Antonio Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena1Daniel Vázquez Molini2Verónica García Blanco3Almudena López Sánchez4Department of Optics, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Optics, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Optics, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainReal Fábrica de Tapices de Madrid, 28014 Madrid, SpainReal Fábrica de Tapices de Madrid, 28014 Madrid, SpainThe conservation of historic tapestries is crucial due to the fragility of their materials and their cultural relevance. This paper reports on an investigation into the development of HeriTex, a non-invasive, innovative system for evaluating the structural integrity of historic tapestries, with a particular focus on measuring material loss. The research analyzed the relationship between transmitted infrared radiation and the weight loss per unit area (expressed in g/cm<sup>2</sup>) in the weakened areas of the tapestry. As a necessary first step, the system was calibrated using a limited range of wool thread weights before conducting experimental measurements on a historic tapestry fragment provided by the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid. The investigation demonstrated a strong correlation between the transmittance values and the loss of material weight per unit area. The results showed that the transmittance decreases exponentially as the weight per unit area increases. By applying a non-linear least squares (NLLS) fitting model, additional weight per unit area values in the tapestry were estimated based on their corresponding transmittance values. The HeriTex system enables the identification, quantification, and mapping of damage regions, demonstrating its potential as a valuable tool for more accurate assessment of the condition of historic tapestries by providing quantitative data on their structural integrity.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/5/153transmittancehistoric tapestriesweight per unit areacalibrationnon-linear least squares fitting
spellingShingle Bárbara Sánchez-Cancela
Antonio Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena
Daniel Vázquez Molini
Verónica García Blanco
Almudena López Sánchez
Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
Heritage
transmittance
historic tapestries
weight per unit area
calibration
non-linear least squares fitting
title Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
title_full Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
title_fullStr Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
title_full_unstemmed Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
title_short Quantitative Automatic Non-Invasive Assessment of Material Degradation in Historic Tapestries
title_sort quantitative automatic non invasive assessment of material degradation in historic tapestries
topic transmittance
historic tapestries
weight per unit area
calibration
non-linear least squares fitting
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/5/153
work_keys_str_mv AT barbarasanchezcancela quantitativeautomaticnoninvasiveassessmentofmaterialdegradationinhistorictapestries
AT antonioalvarezfernandezbalbuena quantitativeautomaticnoninvasiveassessmentofmaterialdegradationinhistorictapestries
AT danielvazquezmolini quantitativeautomaticnoninvasiveassessmentofmaterialdegradationinhistorictapestries
AT veronicagarciablanco quantitativeautomaticnoninvasiveassessmentofmaterialdegradationinhistorictapestries
AT almudenalopezsanchez quantitativeautomaticnoninvasiveassessmentofmaterialdegradationinhistorictapestries