Abstract
Starting in the 1890s the artist Paul Gauguin (1848- 1903) created a series of monoprints and drawings using techniques that are not entirely understood. To better understand the artists production methods, photometric stereo was used to assess the surface shape of a number of these graphic works that are now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Photometric stereo uses multiple images of Gauguins graphic works captured from a fixed camera position, lit from various different directions to create an interactive composite image that reveals textural characteristics. These active images reveal details on the sequence of inks applied to the surfaces of the prints and blind incisions in the paper substrate that help resolve longstanding art historical questions about the evolution of Gauguins printing techniques. Our study promotes the use of photometric stereo to capitalize on the increasingly popularity of Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) among conservators in the world’s leading museums.