Colorimetric Evaluation of a Reintegration via Spectral Imaging—Case Study: Nasrid Tiling Panel from the Alhambra of Granada (Spain)

Abstract

Color reintegration is a restoration treatment that involves applying paint or colored plaster to an object of cultural heritage to facilitate its perception and understanding. This study examines the impact of lighting on the visual appearance of one such restored piece: a tiled skirting panel from the Nasrid period (1238–1492), permanently on display at the Museum of the Alhambra (Spain). Spectral images in the range of 380–1080 nm were obtained using a hyperspectral image scanner. CIELAB and CIEDE2000 color coordinates at each pixel were computed assuming the CIE 1931 standard colorimetric observer and considering ten relevant illuminants proposed by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE): D65 plus nine white LEDs. Four main hues (blue, green, yellow, and black) can be distinguished in the original and reintegrated areas. For each hue, mean color difference from the mean (MCDM), CIEDE2000 average distances, volumes, and overlapping volumes were computed in the CIELAB space by comparing the original and the reintegrated zones. The study reveals noticeable average color differences between the original and reintegrated areas within tiles: 6.0 and 4.7 CIEDE2000 units for the yellow and blue tiles (with MCDM values of 3.7 and 4.5 and 5.8 and 7.2, respectively), and 16.6 and 17.8 CIEDE2000 units for the black and green tiles (with MCDM values of 13.2 and 12.2 and 10.9 and 11.3, respectively). The overlapping volume of CIELAB clouds of points corresponding to the original and reintegrated areas ranges from 35% to 50%, indicating that these areas would be perceived as different by observers with normal color vision for all four tiles. However, average color differences between the original and reintegrated areas changed with the tested illuminants by less than 2.6 CIEDE2000 units. Our current methodology provides useful quantitative results for evaluation of the color appearance of a reintegrated area under different light sources, helping curators and museum professionals to choose optimal lighting.