The HeRiDe (Advancing HERItage Science procedures for DEpth-resolved risk condition assessment of wall paintings) project officially starts today.

Coordinated by Antonina Chaban, member of the Heritage Science Group of CNR-INO, HeRiDe is funded by a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 2025, awarded to outstanding early-career researchers across Europe.

Wall paintings represent one of the most fragile and complex forms of cultural heritage. While heritage science already provides a wide range of tools for surface condition assessment, an effective on-site, full-field and depth-resolved inspection remains a major unresolved challenge. Conservators often struggle to interpret fragmented scientific data and to identify hidden risks such as detachments, cracks, refills, or concealed pictorial layers—issues that typically become visible only when damage is already severe and difficult to repair.

HeRiDe addresses this critical gap by developing an innovative scientific methodology that integrates advanced non-invasive optical techniques with full-field interferometric and thermographic data analysis. The approach is grounded in robust cross-correlation formulas capable of distinguishing hidden risks according to their characteristics and depth within the stratigraphy of wall paintings. By considering the inseparable relationship between the pictorial layer and its architectural or archaeological support, the project aims to significantly improve risk assessment and conservation decision-making.

The methodology will be tested and validated on wall painting mock-ups and then transferred to real case studies. To ensure practical impact and broad adoption, HeRiDe will also deliver a dedicated open-source software tool, enabling international heritage professionals to access advanced diagnostics, 3D visualisation, and integrated analysis of wall paintings and their supporting structures.

Beyond its scientific ambitions, HeRiDe strengthens the long-standing collaboration between Istituto Nazionale di Ottica del CNR (CNR-INO) in Florence and Pozzuoli and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, combining expertise in heritage science, information technologies, conservation, and art history. The project also benefits from international cooperation with leading research centres, including Technical University of Delft.

With HeRiDe, Antonina Chaban and her team aim to transform how hidden risks in wall paintings are detected and interpreted, supporting timely, informed, and sustainable conservation interventions. The project ultimately contributes to safeguarding wall paintings worldwide, ensuring their preservation, accessibility, and transmission to future generations.

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