From January 9th to 16th, a team from Factum Foundation carried out the colour and 3D recording of the polyptych known as the Beaune Altarpiece, inside the Hôtel-Dieu Museum. 

The large work was painted by Flemish artist Rogier van der Weyden and his studio for the 'great hall of the poor' in the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune. 

The work underwent a major restoration from 1875 to 1878 during which the restorers split, by sawing in their thickness, the six panels painted on both sides, in order to present the altarpiece in its two configurations: open on the continuous scene of the Last Judgment, which unfolds over nine panels; and closed, showing the portraits of the founders, Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins, in prayer before Saint Sebastian and Saint Anthony, and surmounted by an Annunciation painted on six panels. For this reason, the altarpiece is presented today in two parts whereas, before this restoration, they formed one single work.

The state of conservation of the altarpiece is regularly checked by conservators-restorers specialising in painting and wooden supports, which require preventive conservation interventions to guarantee the polyptych's integrity.

The high-resolution color and 3D surface data scanned by Factum Foundation allows to monitor the state of conservation of the altarpiece with a great degree of precision, unmatched to date. The scanned data constitutes a precious documentary fund for the history of this work.

The digital information relating to the artwork, both raw and processed files will be provided to the Hospices Civils de Beaune, who will own all rights related to the data for all current and future applications.