What is Infrared Reflectography (IRR)?

Infrared Reflectography (IRR) is like using a special kind of light to see what's hidden under a painting.

Imagine you have a cookie jar that’s been painted over, the paint looks smooth, but inside, there are still cookies and crumbly bits. That’s like what happens with paintings. Sometimes artists change their minds or add new layers, and those old parts get covered up. With IRR, scientists use infrared light, which is a type of light we can't see, to shine on the painting.

The infrared light goes through the paint and bounces back from the hidden parts, kind of like how light reflects off a shiny surface. A special camera captures this reflected light, showing what was underneath. This helps us see old sketches or earlier versions of the painting that are now covered by newer layers.

It’s like having an X-ray for paintings! Instead of cutting into the artwork to look inside, IRR lets scientists see hidden details without touching the painting, just like how you can peek through a window instead of knocking down a wall.