Abstract
Over the past two years, the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) has become increasingly interested in practical applications of electronic imaging in conservation. Recently, our interest has crystalized in the form of information collection and dissemination, collaborative initiatives, research, and field study projects. Given the limited resources of museums and conservation organizations, the emergence of powerful microcomputer-based imaging hardware and software, and the need for low cost solutions, we are taking a small systems approach. This paper will focus on two aspects of our work: 1) a newly created conservation imaging consortium that provides direction and structure for a rapidly increasing number of imaging projects and for a growing network of conservation imaging professionals; and 2) in-house and extramural research and field projects. First, objectives and activities of the consortium will be presented. Second, illustrative projects will be described: annotation of images for conservation documentation purposes; a study on the potential of Kodak Photo-CD for conservation documentation applications; an evaluation of a digital confocal microscopy system and digital UV microscopy; simulation of a variety of conservation procedures; production of infrared reflectographs; research on electronic imaging techniques for documenting daguerreotypes; and development of a method for electronically recording wall paintings for documentary and analytical purposes.