A groundbreaking new initiative involving 12 prominent institutions aims to revolutionize art preservation through advanced color reconstruction technologies. This ambitious project, backed by the European Union, seeks to restore the vibrant hues of historical artworks using cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
The project, launched early last year, involves institutions such as the MUNCH Museum in Oslo, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. They have joined forces to develop a comprehensive AI toolkit designed for both experts and the public. This initiative focuses on reconstructing the authentic colors of artworks, which often fade over time due to exposure to light and environmental conditions.
One notable case is Edvard Munch’s iconic painting, The Scream (1893). Over a century, the painting’s vivid colors have deteriorated, with one version suffering additional damage due to theft and recovery. The PERCEIVE project, with contributions from tech companies like Fraunhofer-IGD and imki, aims to address such challenges by creating tools that can digitally restore original colors across various art forms, including paintings, sculptures, textiles, and photographs.
At the recent 6th International Conference on Innovation in Art Research and Technology (InART) held in Oslo, project participants showcased their developments.
The Lucerne University team, led by Arthur Clay, presented the “Autochrome Demonstrator,” which allows users to digitally restore and compare historical Autochrome plates. Another highlight was the VR Chroma Demonstrator, a virtual environment designed to exhibit and preserve augmented reality artworks.
Irina Crina Anca Sandu from the MUNCH Museum introduced “The Scream Time Machine,” an interactive program that visually reconstructs The Scream from its creation in 1893 to a speculative future version in 2093. Sandu emphasized the project’s commitment to “authenticity and sense of care” in preserving cultural heritage.
As the project’s funding is set to conclude in 2026, the team hopes their prototypes will evolve into accessible tools for broader use, including color knowledge repositories and light-damage estimators. The initiative raises important ethical questions about the restoration and preservation of art, reflecting on the philosophical considerations of altering historical artifacts.