A Semi-Automated Framework for 3D Reconstruction of Medieval Manuscript Miniatures
For digital humanities and cultural heritage preservation, this provides a practical pipeline to create accessible 3D models from manuscript art, though the method is incremental (combining existing tools with expert refinement).
This work presents a semi-automated pipeline for converting 2D medieval manuscript miniatures into 3D models for XR, 3D printing, and web visualization. Evaluating seven image-to-3D methods on 69 figures, they find Hi3DGen offers the best balance of topological quality and surface detail, enabling expert refinement and applications like tactile prints for visually impaired users.
This paper presents a semi-automated framework for transforming two-dimensional miniatures from medieval manuscripts into three-dimensional digital models suitable for extended reality (XR), tactile 3D~printing, and web-based visualization. We evaluate seven image-to-3D methods (TripoSR, SF3D, SPAR3D, TRELLIS, Wonder3D, SAM~3D, Hi3DGen) on 69~manuscript figures from two collections using rendering-based metrics (Silhouette IoU, LPIPS, CLIP~Score) and volumetric measures (Depth Range Ratio, watertight percentage), revealing a trade-off between volumetric expansion and geometric fidelity. Hi3DGen balances topological quality with rich surface detail through its normal bridging approach, making it a good starting point for expert refinement. Our pipeline combines SAM segmentation, Hi3DGen mesh generation, expert refinement in ZBrush, and AI-assisted texturing. Two case studies on Gothic illuminations from the Decretum Gratiani (Vatican Library) and Renaissance miniatures by Giulio Clovio demonstrate applicability across artistic traditions. The resulting models can support WebXR visualization, AR overlay on physical manuscripts, and tactile 3D~prints for visually impaired users.