Next time you visit a museum, try bringing a UV flashlight. Some historical artworks may harbor traces of modern technology that did not exist until a few years ago.
Mattia Mercante is a cultural heritage conservator and restorer, based at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, Italy. He fully utilizes modern digital tools such as 3D scanning, 3D CAD, and 3D printing to restore works by leading Renaissance artists and sculptors like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. These digital tools enable restorers to mimic the technical excellence of master artists and to recover intricate details that would otherwise be impossible to recreate.
On this page, we will introduce the lesser-known world of art restoration and the latest technologies used to protect cultural heritage.
Introducing Digital Technology to a Traditional Field
After a brief stint in architecture, Mercante studied art restoration at Opificio, one of the most prestigious and recognized state institutions in the field.
Initially, Mercante was interested in 3D modeling for digital sculpture. Later, as 3D scanning and 3D printing became more accessible to consumers, he decided to experiment with these technologies and apply them to his professional work.
“From a real need to solve several problems related to the documentation, enhancement, and conservation of cultural heritage, I began to use 3D scanning and printing technologies. Initially, I used a 3D scanner to evaluate artworks, then integrated digital modeling software into the workflow, and now I use 3D printing as the final step,” Mercante said.
“From the very beginning of my research, my goal has been to show that those working in cultural heritage restoration can directly and independently incorporate modern digital tools into their workflow, without needing to hire external experts.”
So, how does the art restoration process work?
Restorers use 3D scanning to document and analyze artworks.
Artwork Evaluation
The first step of a restoration project is for a qualified technical inspector to collaborate with a restorer to assess the condition and state of the artwork.
Interventions are categorized into three types: “urgent,” “preventive,” and “enhancement.” Urgent refers to cases where immediate restoration is necessary to preserve the artwork and must be prioritized. If there is a possibility that the artwork’s condition will deteriorate in the near future, preventive restoration is carried out. Finally, if the artwork is to be used for display or research, it must be able to withstand those special circumstances, which is called “enhancement.”
The only thing that can limit or prevent restoration is if the intervention could pose a risk to the artwork and its physical integrity. Interventions should only be carried out when necessary for the proper conservation of the artwork and its continued existence in the future.
3D Scanning, Modeling, and 3D Printing
Key to this process is scanning. By using existing original parts of the sculpture as the basis for subsequent restoration, the interpretation of shapes is minimized.
“Scanning and modeling ensure a greater respect for the original artistic form. Restorers are art technicians, not painters or sculptors, so interpretation and creativity should not impact our work,” Mercante explained.
After scanning, restorers examine problematic areas and make assessments to improve them as much as possible. Then, documentation, shape design, and complete restoration are carried out. 3D printing is used to create prototypes for quality control and pre-verification, as well as for final material restoration.
Mercante recreated the missing fingers of a funerary marble sculpture based on a 3D scan of the broken hand and chalk sketches.
After fitting and testing the pieces onto a 3D-printed hand model, they were installed onto the sculpture.
Restorations, such as cleaning, integration, material repair, and color harmonization, take an average of 5–6 months. However, more complex projects can take over a year.
Making the Impossible Restoration Possible
The objects targeted for restoration are diverse, ranging from archaeological artifacts to contemporary works. Mercante specializes in restoring sculptures made of terracotta, plaster, glass, and wax, but 3D scanning and 3D printing are also used in projects involving a wider range of artworks.
One of the latest projects involved the restoration of a reliquary made of multiple materials—glass, fabric, metal, rock crystal, limestone, and seashells—for the Tesoro dei Granduchi Museum within the Pitti Palace in Florence.
The central part of the reliquary depicts the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the wooden frame is divided into small compartments, each illustrating a scene from the Rosary.
Mercante recreated the missing fingers of a funerary marble sculpture based on a 3D scan of the broken hand and chalk sketches.
After fitting and testing the pieces onto a 3D-printed hand model, they were installed onto the sculpture.
Restorations, such as cleaning, integration, material repair, and color harmonization, take an average of 5–6 months. However, more complex projects can take over a year.
Making the Impossible Restoration Possible
The objects targeted for restoration are diverse, ranging from archaeological artifacts to contemporary works. Mercante specializes in restoring sculptures made of terracotta, plaster, glass, and wax, but 3D scanning and 3D printing are also used in projects involving a wider range of artworks.
One of the latest projects involved the restoration of a reliquary made of multiple materials—glass, fabric, metal, rock crystal, limestone, and seashells—for the Tesoro dei Granduchi Museum within the Pitti Palace in Florence.
The central part of the reliquary depicts the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the wooden frame is divided into small compartments, each illustrating a scene from the Rosary.
The 3D-printed pieces were painted to match the artwork’s colors and inserted into the frame.
“Our job as restorers is not only to conserve what remains but also to enable visitors to correctly read and understand the artwork. With Formlabs’ 3D printers in the Opificio lab, we were able to restore missing decorative parts of the broken frame. We printed the piece with Formlabs White Resin, then gilded it, and installed it onto the artwork. The restored part is visible under ultraviolet light, so if necessary, it can be easily distinguished and returned to its original state,” Mercante stated.
The restored section is visible under ultraviolet light, making it easily identifiable and reversible if necessary.
“Having digital technology in the lab allows us to work completely independently, making adjustments on the fly, and finding quick and effective solutions directly. In the past, some projects couldn't be undertaken due to the time constraints of external services and cost issues. If I were to imagine how to handle the same workflow without these digital tools, I think many projects would have to be abandoned.”
There was one case where the restoration of a 17th-century wood carving was only possible thanks to scanning and 3D printing.
A 17th-century wood carving called "The Panel of Cosimo III" (produced by Grinling Gibbons). Mercante scanned a similar decorative motif within the work to create a "virtual cast" (left), and then (right) meticulously adjusted it to fit the imperfection.
“The Panel of Cosimo III” is a large panel created by Grinling Gibbons, an English master wood carver. It is a work full of detail and technical intricacy, and extremely difficult to reproduce. This work has been restored multiple times over a long period, but because it is so difficult to carve wood with the same technique as the master who once served in the court of King Charles II of England, restorers had not attempted to fill in the missing decorative parts. Over the years, several solutions were proposed, but none were satisfactory.
This piece was removed from the 3D printer and immediately used for wood carving restoration. Before installation, it was painted to match the wood's color.
In 2016, with both a 3D scanner and a 3D printer in the Opificio laboratory, Mercante and his colleague Cristina Gigli were able to create a "virtual cast" from a similar decorative motif within the work and meticulously adjust it to fit the imperfection.
“We printed the design with a 3D printer, painted it to match the wood’s color, and installed it onto the artwork. In this way, the problem of artistic interpretation was resolved, and the technical difficulties of intricate wood carving were overcome,” Mercante explained.
Versatile Tools in the Hands of a Restorer
Mercante found that 3D-printed parts have high surface quality and excellent detail. With minimal additional decoration, they can be immediately used for restoration. Additionally, 3D printing can be used to create molds for casting with original materials or metal.
A set of 3D-printed fingers used for pre-visualization of the restoration, and later painted to match the marble's color.
Recently, Mercante collaborated with his fellow restorers, Acerina Garcia and Edoardo Radaelli, on a project for a private client: the restoration of the fingers of a funerary marble sculpture located in the Borromeo d’Adda chapel in Arcore, near Milan. Based on a 3D scan of the broken hand and chalk sketches preserved in another museum, they redesigned all the fingers, paying particular attention to the proportions and style of the sculptor, Vincenzo Vela.
“We used 3D printing, painted it to match the marble’s color, and installed it directly onto the artwork with small magnets, in a way that doesn’t burden the artwork and can be reversed,” Mercante said.
Last year, Mercante collaborated with fellow restorer Alice Maccoppi to document and restore a 17th-century artificial grotto. This grotto was originally built as a retreat and was covered with creations made of seashells and limestone.
A 17th-century artificial grotto. Originally built as a place for recreation, its interior was covered with works made of seashells and limestone, some of which have been lost over time.
To restore the lost decorations, Mercante scanned the areas of the wall that still retained original seashells and created 3D data. He then 3D printed these seashells at a 1:1 scale, and Maccoppi used them to create molds for casting with geopolymer material.
A 3D-printed shell piece at 1:1 scale, then molded and cast with geopolymer material.
The Future of Art Restoration
Many art restorers from traditional fields remain hesitant to adopt new tools into their workflow. Mercante believes that among these restorers, some misunderstand that 3D scanners and 3D printers will make restoration work lifeless and mechanical. However, with improved quality and broader possibilities from modern technology, these skeptical views are diminishing.
“The most important thing is the preservation of the artwork. If digital technology and tools can help improve this, they should be embraced. Considering both technical and theoretical aspects, restoration has everything to gain and nothing to lose,” Mercante said.
“A 3D printer should not be the destination, but a tool. A 3D printer is a tool in the hands of the restorer, offering additional solutions that can be used to directly convey their knowledge, techniques, and excellence, and adapt to the needs of the artwork. With the support of digital tools, it is possible to reach a higher level, so I encourage restorers to use digital tools.”
Mercante expects digital technology to become even more widespread and an indispensable part of a growing number of restorers’ technical toolkits.
“Since 2015, I have collaborated with public institutions, such as the Museo delle Pietre Dure, to implement 3D scanners and 3D printers. I hope to establish an internal unit within research institutions that can provide comprehensive and self-sufficient digital scanning, 3D printing, and modeling services specialized in cultural heritage restoration,” he stated.
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