The microscope was programmed to automatically focus on the painting and capture the images, then sew everything together. Certain regions of the painting were captured in even greater detail using the microscope’s 3D features. For these, each pixel was equivalent to 1.1 microns, with several images of each region captured to create a topographic map, allowing experts to see differences in the height of the painting and other details.
“Hirox software automatically moves the lens up and down with very high accuracy, capturing a series of images in different focuses [points] and combine them into a fully focused image, ”said Leonhardt. “The motorized X / Y stage is then moving to the next position, creating a high resolution panorama.”
In an area of the left eye, you can zoom in to see the pupil and then zoom in much more to see the light source reflected in the pupil as a pair of ink stains. Another section shows two small dots of paint that Vermeer added to add texture to the outfit.
When switching to 3D mode, that same drop of paint on the pupil can be seen from the side, revealing topographic details in the paint and cracks. You can also explore other regions, including the subject’s mouth, clothes and, yes, those famous earrings. This type of detail is extremely valuable to curators, as they can track wear and tear on the paint and explore previous restorations. Hirox created a special website for scanning, and you can zoom in and check it in 3D right here.