A basic knowledge of Italian, European, and world art history is required and basic notions of restoration and conservation.

The course emphasizes the digital revolution as a tool for enhancing the study and understanding of historical and artistic heritage. From a historical perspective, it provides a foundation of knowledge and a critical approach to the use of digital tools as diagnostic and predictive support in the restoration of artworks, as a tool for cataloging and sharing knowledge, and as a tool for adequately interpreting artworks in challenging conservation conditions. The main objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the digital tools available today and their application to historical and artistic heritage, and how they can be used methodologically appropriately to support the knowledge, analysis, interpretation, and historical understanding of cultural heritage.

1. Knowledge and Understanding

The student understands the historical and artistic heritage using digital tools to represent data and information. Develop an in-depth understanding of the methodologies for documenting, cataloguing, managing, promoting, and disseminating cultural heritage, as well as the economic, managerial, legal, and regulatory aspects related to digitization and the protection of intellectual property.

2. Applying Knowledge and Understanding

The student critically interprets and analyzes scenarios derived from digitized or born-digital sources. The student designs digital resources and manages cataloguing systems, databases, Virtual and Augmented Reality applications, Artificial Intelligence tools, and digital platforms for the documentation, preservation, enhancement, and communication of cultural heritage.

3. Making Judgements

The student analyses, reuses, and appropriately disseminates GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) digital heritage. The student is able to exercise independent judgement in selecting and applying the most appropriate methodologies, technological tools, and design strategies for different contexts involving digital technologies in cultural heritage. The student is able to critically evaluate the scientific, ethical, legal, and societal implications of the digitisation and management of cultural heritage data and of the use of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, demonstrating responsibility in innovation processes and in the enhancement of cultural heritage.

4. Communication Skills

The student is able to communicate scientific knowledge, research findings, and digital projects effectively using the technical language of the discipline and English as the language of instruction. The student is able to design digital tools and content to support the communication and public engagement of cultural heritage, applying principles of User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design. The student is also able to use multimedia technologies to disseminate and enhance cultural content, communicating effectively with both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

5. Learning Skills

The student develops the learning skills necessary to undertake further study with a high degree of autonomy. The student is able to independently update and expand their knowledge in response to the continuous evolution of digital technologies applied to cultural heritage, digital methodologies, and the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. The student is able to critically investigate interdisciplinary issues related to the digitisation of cultural heritage by integrating humanities and technological competences. The student is also able to adapt to the evolving professional contexts of digital innovation in the cultural heritage sector and to pursue advanced studies and research in related fields.

Lectures.

During the lessons, students will be offered the opportunity to view and analyze iconographic material organized in PowerPoint presentations and short educational videos, which will be made available to students for exam preparation.

The same teaching and learning materials will be made available to non-attending students.

Written exam and presentation of a graphic design project.

The written exam will be based on the study of recommended texts and documents and is to verify the knowledge of the lesson topics, analysed throughout the course. In particular, the student will be evaluated considering:

knowledge and understanding of the subject matter,

• ability to apply knowledge acquired, synthesis and formal correctness in the exposition and ability to argue one's thesis,

• autonomy of judgment,

• communication skills.

The exam score is assigned using a grade expressed in thirtieths.

In the evaluation of the exam, the determination of the final grade considers the following elements:

30 with honors: excellent evaluation; comprehensive and rich preparation; in the presentation, accurate expression, confident knowledge of the topics, clarity of exposition,.

30: very good evaluation; comprehensive preparation, with good ability to make connections; in the presentation, proper expression, fairly confident knowledge; clarity of exposition.

29-28: very good evaluation; comprehensive preparation with connections; in the presentation, some uncertainty in expression, fairly confident knowledge, not entirely clear exposition.

27-26: good evaluation; comprehensive preparation; reasonably confident presentation, uncertainties in exposition.

25-24: moderately good evaluation; approximately complete preparation, occasional inaccuracies and/or gaps; in the presentation, occasional terminological or conceptual confusions.

23-22: more than sufficient evaluation; nearly complete preparation, gaps and/or inaccuracies; in the presentation, some confusion of terms and concepts.

21-20: sufficient evaluation; approximately complete preparation, inaccuracies, gaps; in the presentation, approximate use of terms and concepts.

19-18: barely sufficient evaluation; limited preparation (many inaccuracies and various gaps); in the presentation, confusion of terms and concepts.

< 18: insufficient evaluation; insufficient preparation; insufficient presentation.

Examination sessions are scheduled via the EasyTest platform in compliance with the number of sessions established in the Academic Calendar approved by the Department Council.

Student office hours are by appointment and should be arranged by emailing the instructor at their institutional email address.

mariachiara.desantis@unisalento.it

Introduction to Cultural Heritage asset and to fine arts

Lessons will discuss diverse tools, including digital narratives, digital atlas, 3D models for exploring

the links between heritage of different scales and digital materials of different formats.

Methods of Art Data Collection:

• Digital Imaging and Digitization

• Metadata Standardization (LIDO-XML)

• AI-Powered Annotation

Digital tecniques for documenting and preserving cultural heritage:

• 3D Depth Sensing and 3D laser Scanning

• Augmented Reality

• Digital Storytelling

• Hyperspectral imaging

• Reflectance Transformation Imaging

• Structure from Motion (SfM)

• Multiple View Stereovision

• Photogrammetry

• Structured light 3D Scanning

The same syllabus applies to non-attending students.

Jaillant L. et al., Artificial intelligence for Cultural Heritage, UCL PRESS 2022

https://uclpress.co.uk/book/navigating-artificial-intelligence-for-cultural-heritage-organisations/

Bentkowsa-Kafel A., MacDonald L. (2017), Digital techniques for documenting and preserving cultural heritage

https://www.jstor.org/content/oa_book_edited/j.ctt1xp3w16

Unesco (2009), Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage, adopted during the 32nd Session of the general Conference of UNESCO on 17 October 2003

https://www.unesco.org/en/legal-affairs/charter-preservation-digital-heritage

Supporting materials in both paper and digital formats will be distributed during class, and all images analyzed will be provided to students. Non-attending students should ensure that the texts indicated are combined with the textual and iconographic materials provided during class, requesting them directly from the instructor.