Using 3D Digital Models in Michelangelos David Restoration - Essay Example

 In my opinion, it is much essential to conserve the great masterpieces of our art tradition and it is our prime duty to seek the best ways to preserve them for future generations. The use of modern technologies is one of the most effective ways to conserve and restore our art legacies and these modern technologies can meet the concerns of the critics of restoration. Thus, the modern technologies in 3D scanning have been found most useful in reconstructing 3D digital representations of real objects in a semi-automatic way, and they ensure high precision and wealth of details.

A convincing example of such art restoration has been the perfect digital model of Michelangelo’s David which was the outcome of the Digital Michelangelo Project (1999-2000) and the model was made using a custom Cyberware laser scanner and post-processing software. “The availability of an accurate digital representation opens several possibilities of utilization to the experts (restorers, archivists, students), the students or the museum visitors… An important application of 3D models should be in the restoration of artworks.

The integration between 3D graphics and restoration represents an open research field and the David restoration project has given several starting points and guidelines to the definition and development of innovative solutions.” (Using 3D digital models in Michelangelo’s David restoration) Therefore, restoration of the great artworks using modern technologies such as the 3D digital models can be seen as an effective solution to answer the concerns of the critics of restoration as well as the view that art is ephemeral and should decay naturally.