Chemists use AI to uncover pigments used on Berlin Wall murals

Combining spectroscopy and artificial intelligence (AI) data analysis has revealed new insights about the murals that were painted on the Berlin Wall. The new approach could provide high quality data for art conservation and restoration – identifying better ways to understand the techniques and materials used in street art.

The team used a handheld Raman device to identify pigments on paint chips from the Berlin Wall. As handheld devices lack precision and sensitivity compared to standard lab equipment, the researchers also used AI to improve the analysis by the portable devices.