Abstract: A color print painted with different colors C.sub.i (i = 1, 2 . . . n) is scanned by a color scanner along a plurality of successive line paths to generate a set of electrical signals each representing the intensity of the spectral components of the light reflected from an elemental area of the print. A macroscopic color separator is provided to generate a set of electrical signals each representing the average spectral intensities per unit area of the print. A data processor is used to compute the probability P(C.sub.i) from the data obtained from the macroscopic color separator and a set of mean spectral intensities exhibited by the color samples with which the print is painted by artisans. In accordance with the Bayes' Rule, the processor then executes computation of the product of P(C.sub.

Abstract: A colored original which is painted with a plurality of predetermined colors is scanned along each of a plurality of line paths each of which can be divided into one or more colored line segments. Encoders are provided to characterize each of the line segments by a corresponding first code representing the color of the segment and a second code representing the run length of the segment. The first and second codes are sequentially recorded in a data file memory. The recorded information is repeatedly retrieved from the memory and transferred to a shift register. Line segments carrying the same color within each line path are detected by comparing the corresponding first code with a specified code. The second code is sequentially decoded into run lengths which are accumulated to measure the position of color transitions relative to the colored original. A video signal is generated upon occurrence of coincidence between the first code and the specified code.