VOA慢速英语2021--荷兰用人工智能修复名画

Dutch Art Experts Enlarge Famous Painting Using Artificial Intelligence

A marriage of art and artificial intelligence, or AI, has made it possible to recreate missing parts from a famous painting in the national museum of the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

The painting is known as Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn. Parts of the painting were cut off 70 years after Rembrandt finished it in 1642. Rembrandt is considered one of the greatest artists of the "Golden Age" period in Dutch art and history.

The recreated pieces have been put directly against the painting. The museum's addition brings back the off-center focal point Rembrandt first created.

Museum director Taco Dibbits told The Associated Press, "It can breathe now."

The two main subjects of the painting are Captain Frans Banninck Cocq and Lieutenant¹ Willem van Ruytenburch who were members of a civil militia². They are at the center of the painting after it was cut. The new computer-created additions move the two to the right.

"It really gives the painting a different dynamic," Dibbits said. "And what it taught us is that Rembrandt never does what you expect."

The museum always knew the uncut painting was bigger because there is a smaller copy painted by Gerrit Lundens.

Researchers and art repair experts used the Lundens copy, computer technology and detailed³ images of the painting to recreate the missing parts. The project took two years.

Dibbits said they made a detailed photograph of the Night Watch by combining 528 digital pictures. Then, they taught a computer, using AI technology, what colors Rembrandt would have used and how he would have painted.

The machine learning also permitted the museum to correct distortion⁴ from the painting's smaller copy. Lundens was sitting to one side of the painting when he made the copy.

There is a simple reason why Rembrandt's 1642 painting of an Amsterdam civil militia was cut. It was moved to the town hall and did not fit on a wall between two doors. It is a mystery what happened to the missing piece.

The digital recreation that will be shown in the coming months is part of the research and repair project called "Operation Night Watch." It began two years ago, before the coronavirus health crisis⁵ caused museums to close for months.

The museum is expected to welcome visitors but will accept only half the normal number as the Netherlands eases COVID-19 restrictions⁶.

The painting last underwent major repairs more than 40 years ago after a man cut it with a knife. The painting also is starting to lose its color in some areas.

Dibbits said the reproduced⁷ additions are not meant to trick visitors into thinking the painting is bigger. It is to give them a clear idea of what it was supposed to look like.

He said, "Rembrandt would have definitely done it more beautifully, but this comes very close."

Words in This Story

artificial intelligence – n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

focal point – n. a center of activity, interest, or attention

dynamic – n. the way that two or more people behave with each other because of a particular situation

digital – adj. using or characterized⁸ by computer technology

distortion – n. changes to the normal appearance of an image caused by the process of copying it

1 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 distortion   

n.歪曲

参考例句：

• Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。
• The distortion of form is a constant in his painting.曲线型是他绘画的一贯特点。

5 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 reproduced   

复制( reproduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 重现； 再版； 生殖

参考例句：

• a manuscript reproduced in facsimile 精确复制的手稿
• The article was reproduced by the special permission of the President. 由于总统的特殊允许，这篇文章被复印了一份。

8 characterized   

adj.[医]具有特征的v.是…的特征( characterize的过去式和过去分词 )；以…为特征；描述（人或物）的特性；使…具有特点（或最引人注目的特征）

参考例句：

• Mozart's music is characterized by its naivety and clarity. 莫扎特的音乐特色是纯朴兴清澈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The world situation is characterized by turbulence and intranquility. 世界局势动荡不安。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》