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AI-Generated Polymer Mask Enables 3.5-Hour Restoration of Damaged Oil Paintings

Published in Nature, the process digitally reconstructs missing pigments then prints a removable film that seamlessly infills cracks and flakes.

Scans of the painting during various stages in its restoration. At left is the damaged piece, with the middle panel showing a map of the different kinds of damage present; green lines show full splits in the underlying panel support, thin red lines depict major paint craquelure, blue areas correspond to large paint losses, while pink regions show smaller defects like scratches. At right is the restored painting with the applied laminate mask.
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Overview

  • The method automatically mapped over 5,600 loss areas and matched 57,314 colors in just 3.5 hours, achieving about 66 times the speed of manual restoration
  • A two-layer polymer sheet printed with white and color inks aligns precisely over a varnished canvas then adheres via a light varnish spray and can be peeled off with conservation solvents
  • Digital files of each mask record every adjustment, giving future conservators an exact blueprint of the restoration work
  • Suitability is limited to smooth, varnished paintings, making it ideal for sidelined or lower-value works that lack resources for traditional, lengthy treatments
  • Developer Alex Kachkine emphasizes that professional conservators should oversee applications to address ethical questions about fidelity to an artist’s original style and intent