It is with great sorrow that we learned of the passing of Vincent Detalle on 4 March 2025. A professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the Cergy-Pontoise University, he was deeply committed to heritage science, dedicating his career to advancing research, mentoring young researchers, and fostering European collaborations. As a leading figure, Vincent Detalle made lasting contributions to the field. His passionate dedication was key to build and strengthen the E-RIHS community.
Deeply aware of the environmental impacts on cultural heritage, he was committed to advancing non-invasive restoration methods, collaborating with academic partners and professionals in the sector both in France and internationally.
Since joining the Historical Monuments Research Laboratory (LRMH) in 2004, where he led the mural paintings division for 12 years, and later at the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF) until 2022, Vincent pioneered numerous research and development initiatives in heritage science. He actively participated in European research collaborations like CHARISMA and the IPERION projects, particularly on in situ analyses (MOLAB), and was instrumental in establishing E-RIHS and its French national node.
Beginning 2011, he was involved with the French LabEx Patrima, EquipEx PatrimEx, and the Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine (FSP). He initiated numerous projects supported by FSP, notably the EquipEx+ ESPADON, where he served as scientific coordinator. This project combines instrumental development and digital structuring around the concept of the “augmented heritage object”. He was also actively involved in the setting up the European Cultural Heritage Cloud.
As the E-RIHS community we lose both a prominent scientist and one of the first who believed in the importance of a European research infrastructure for heritage science, which he helped build with enthusiasm.
Thank you, Vincent, for all your work! We never forget your farsighted contribution to E-RIHS!
It was impossible not to be touched by Vincent’s enthusiasm and generosity – his pure and passionate way of embracing everything made him unique. His enthusiastic dedication to heritage science was unwavering. Whenever Vincent was involved in a project, I knew E-RIHS would be well represented, as heritage science was always at the heart of his work. He was not just a colleague but a trusted fellow in the E-RIHS endeavour. His presence was impactful and filled the space around him. We will miss you, Vincent. It will be hard to fill the void you have left.
Vania Virgili – 9 March 2025
