Rawlinson, Lister and Gough collections: 18th-century copper printing plates

After the launch of ARCHiOx in February 2022, the Selene Photometric Stereo System and the Lucida 3D Scanner were first tested on a selection of 18th-century copper printing plates form the Rawlinson, Lister and Gough collections.

The Selene during the scanning process © Bodleian Libraries

The Selene during the scanning process © Matt Marshall | Factum Foundation

Colour information of a copper plate from the Bodleian Libraries, acquired with the Photometric Scanner © ARCHiOx

Shaded render of the surface of a copper plate from the Bodleian Libraries, acquired with the Photometric Scanner © ARCHiOx

The plates were selected by Dr Alexandra Franklin and Chiara Betti, a PhD student at the University of London specialising in the research of the Bodleian copper plate collections on a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (read the full report by Chiara Betti on The Conveyor).

The reflective and finely etched surface of copper printing plates is usually difficult to record effectively and accurately, requiring a case-by-case approach that depends on the individual plate’s etching, conservation status and usage.

Selene proved to be an extremely successful method for recording the subtle surface information on etching, aquatint and mezzotint plates. The ARCHiOx team have focused on how to streamline the data capture while Factum have focused on data output.

For over twenty years, the Bodleian have archived hundreds-of-thousands of digital images, captured from our collections. Through the use of technologies like the Selene and Lucida, we now have the capability of reproducing items more accurately than ever, not just as a two-dimensional representations, but as tangible 3D recreations.
John Barrett, Bodleian’s Senior Photographer and ARCHiOx Technical Lead for the Bodleian

I remember with particular excitement the first day I saw the scan results on the copper plates from the Rawlinson Collection. Thanks to the high-resolution surface recording from the Selene Photometric Stereo System, we were able to see every detail of the engravings that the artist had made by hand on the surface of the metal, details that were previously hidden under years of dust and rust. It was as if the plate came to life in front of us, allowing us to see it with new eyes and discover information and beauty that had previously been hidden. I believe that high-resolution surface recording technology is an innovative and exciting way to breathe new life into ancient objects and to promote culture and history for future generations.
Jorge Cano, Head of Technology, Factum Foundation and Factum Arte