Interpretation through Digital Imaging: Reflectance Transformation Imaging(RTI) as a Tool for Understanding Paintings

Abstract

This paper presents Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) as a tool to support the study of paintings and authentication. Manufacturing techniques of the artist are reviewed through the comparison between liberal perspectives and digital imaging techniques. In this study, RTI was applied to focus on the detailed textural information of eight paintings by Korean artist Lee Ji-ho. The RTI result visualizes shallow reliefs of brush strokes and different mediums on the surface technically enhanced through imaging filters, and these morphological textures on the surface act as a key factor in understanding the characteristics of the artist. The surface morphology and art criticism work as qualitative indicators to analyze the change of artistic techniques through time, and the usage of different mediums. The results of this study confirm that the RTI technique can be used as an analysis device in the study of paintings.