Survey, modelling and scientific integrated researches for restoration and enhancement of Cultural Heritage. A study of the bas-relieves of the Camerino dei Marmi di Alfonso I for the Estense Castle

The research project described here concerns the high-definition 3D survey of the morphological and dimensional features of the collection of the marble bas-relieves carved at the beginning of the XVI century by the sculptor Antonio Lombardo to adorn the so-called “Camerino dei Marmi di Alfonso I” or “Camerino di Alabastro” in the Estense Castle of Ferrara. The sculptures remained in their former place until the end of the XVI century and at present they are one of the masterpieces of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The research project started in March 2004 in occasion of the exhibition entitled “Il Camerino di alabastro: Antonio Lombardo e la scultura all’antica” and held in the Estense Castle of Ferrara. At the end of the exhibition, in June 2004, the bas-relieves returned to Saint Petersburg; the great artistic and historical importance of these bas-relieves and the limited time in which these artefacts were in Ferrara made the advanced 3D survey a useful methodology to build up a data base where to collect metric, morphological, geometrical and surface data. The 3D digital scanning in fact was integrated with further researches and instrumental diagnostic analyses aimed at the comprehension of the significant features and surface specifications of the marbles in order to create an integrated system of dimensional data and surface morphological aspects as a data system organized in the form of a 3D hyper-textual data base