3D-scanning the reverse of panel paintings: upscaling the recording and classification of panel makers' marks and tool traces

Presentation slides of the symposium presentation: Kirsten Weterings, Marta Domínguez-Delmás “3D-scanning the reverse of panel paintings: upscaling the recording and classification of panel makers' marks and tool traces,” Marks on Art Symposium: Brands and Stamps on Early Modern Paintings. The Hague, October 2025. 3D-scanning the reverse of panel paintings: upscaling the recording and classification of panel makers' marks and tool traces Kirsten Weterings1 and Marta Domínguez-Delmás2,3 1 Weterings Dendrochronology 2 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands 3 Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amersfoort, The Netherlands Documenting marks on artworks is essential for their study, as such marks can facilitate determining the provenance, function, and production process of the artworks. Traditionally, marks have been recorded through schematic drawings, rubbings, and, more recently, photographs. Most advanced photographic methods use raking light or light domes aiming to capture the three-dimensional nature of marks. In recent years, handheld 3D scanners have demonstrated promising results in documenting fine details of wooden heritage objects, such as sculptures and carvings. Here we present preliminary results of the potential of handheld 3D scanning for the documentation of marks on a selection of panel paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries Low Countries. By comparing structured light and laser scanning technologies across variables such as scanner resolution, scanner accuracy, surface reflectivity, and environmental lighting, the goal of the study is to evaluate the versatility, effectiveness, and challenges of 3D scanning to document marks on wooden artworks. Embedded within the ERC WoodCulture project, this research contributes to the development of a refence database and AI-based application for the automatic classification of marks on wood based on geographic region and chronology.