Digital Reconstruction By Imaging And Post Processing Techniques Of The Nicopeia Icon Transformations

The famous palladium of Venice, the Nicopeia icon kept in the basilica of San Marco, 1968 underwent spectral and micro chemical investigations. Their largely overlooked to the moment findings proved the existence of more super-imposed images of Our Lady, not identical with the one visible today. The present paper analyzes the issues of these laboratory examinations from technical-technological point of view to the end to gain as many as possible insights into the composition, sequence and plastic construction of the original painting and its successive transformations. The visualization of the outcomes and the evaluation of the various work hypotheses are supported by imaging and post processing techniques ranging from digitization and optimization of old analogue photos to image manipulation methods. The results allow to draw conclusions not only about the appearance of the hidden Mother of God and about its original significance, but also to address for first time with scientific criteria the question of the icon's date and provenance.