Masterpieces unmasked: New high-resolution infrared cameras produce rich, detailed images of artwork, and create new controversies

Luca Pezzati is a physicist who heads a group called Art Diagnostics, which is a part of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, an institute devoted to the research and conservation of artworks in Italy. Pezzati and his group use high-resolution infrared scanning device to produce colour images of what lies below the surface of paintings. Their scanner is able to produce the best-known quality of images without harming the painting under examination (1 page).