3-D optical measurements in the field of cultural heritage: The case of the Vittoria Alata of Brescia

In this paper, we give an insight on how innovative techniques of optical three-dimensional (3-D) measurement can be helpful in the domain of the study, conservation, restoration, and presentation of artworks. In particular, we present the results of the 3-D acquisition of the Vittoria Alata, the statue symbol of our City, using an optical whole-field profilometer developed in our laboratory. The study, originally motivated by the need to explore a new hypothesis for the origin of the statue, led to its complete digitization, with a global error of 0.5 mm, as well as to the description of the statue in terms of both polygonal and CAD models. Moreover, it helped the archaeologists to prove the new hypothesis of an alternative origin of the artwork and proved the tremendous benefits of the technique in the realms of conservation, virtual museums, generation of replicas, and in general preservation of cultural heritage.