A high-speed, high-definition optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system for non-invasive examination of an artwork in a macroscopic scale includes a high-speed, large field-of-view OCT imaging platform which includes a spectral domain OCT imaging system and a pair of linear motors configured to translate the artwork in two orthogonal directions creating a 2D stage system for scanning the artwork and acquiring volumetric OCT data from adjacent, non-overlapping Regions of Interests on the artwork. The linear motors each have an accuracy compatible with the lateral resolution of the OCT system. The imaging platform is operated at a high speed due to the Fourier domain configuration of the OCT system and parallelized signal processing enabled by a Graphic Processing Unit. The data acquired by the system provides both 3D surface information of the artwork and structure information underneath the surface, providing a nondestructive alternative for the analysis and conservation of artworks.
