Virtual reconstruction of paintings as a tool for research and learning

This paper presents the work related to the 3D reconstruction of the scene depicted in the famous Piero della Francesca's fresco “The Resurrection”. The work has presented many challenges due to the fact that deliberate alterations to a mathematically correct perspective were introduced by the artist in order to visibly underline the contrast between the divine plane (Christ resurrected) and the human plane (a group of soldiers witnessing the scene). The reconstructed 3D model has been used in an interactive application enabling the virtual visit of the scene as seen from relevant viewpoints corresponding to the different perspectives and to details of the depicted figures. The application also allows to change in real-time the lighting conditions of the scene in order to compare the virtual illumination with the one present in the fresco so as to illustrate possible alternatives about the debated original collocation of the artwork.