Piero della Francesca and the computer: Analysis,reconstruction, and inheritance

Surprising new insights into Piero della Francesca's revered painting,The Resurrection of Christ, have emerged from a computer-aided analysis of the structure and color Piero employed in his art: Christ's features seem to be asymmetrical; a tree made of thorns has been identified; and upon filtering with red, as the dominant color, the fresco appears as if it were bathed in the color and light of a setting sun. In addition, electronic reconstructions of his frescoes,La morte di Adamo andSt. Julien, demonstrate a new use for the computer as a valuable aid to the art restorer and provide the world with a view of the works as they appeared upon completion over 500 years ago. Finally, an examination of Piero's composition, together with a comparison between the fresco medium and the computer medium, extends previously recognized links to modern art and to computer art in particular.