ABSTRACT
In November 1971 Ente Nazionale Idrocaburi (ENI) funded the feasibility study (winter 1971-72) and more than 50 large-object large-format holograms of Venetian artworks were recorded and placed on display in the Academia Museum. In the course of the three-month investigation two unexpected discoveries were made. First, it was found that double-exposure holographic interferograms are able to reveal hidden defects in artworks and assess the success of subsequent conservation repairs. Second, a recent laser publication (Ready 1971) inspired the team to the discovery that pulsed-laser ablation could be adapted to advance art conservation technology in the attainment of very high-quality surface divestment. In a very few weeks it was found that self-limiting divestment of sulfation from stone, minerals from pottery, glue from canvas, corrosion from metals, fungi from leather, and soils from textiles was feasible (Asmus 1972).
