An illuminated manuscript from 1505, *The Primer of Claude of France*, has had its original nude depictions of Adam and Eve digitally restored after a former owner crudely painted clothing over them. The restoration was achieved using an algorithm developed by Cambridge University's Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, which stripped away the overpaint without damaging the original page. The manuscript is currently on display at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England, as part of the exhibition “Colour: The Art and Science of Illuminated Manuscripts.”
The restoration matters because it reveals the original artistic intent of the manuscript, commissioned by Queen Anne of Brittany, who considered the nude figures appropriate for her five-year-old daughter. It also demonstrates a novel application of computational imaging technology to solve a conservation problem that traditional methods could not address, as curators were unwilling to physically alter the historic page. The project highlights the intersection of art history, science, and digital humanities, offering a new tool for uncovering lost details in illuminated manuscripts.