As the mighty House of Medici amassed works of art between the 15th and 18th cenÂturies, could its memÂbers have imagÂined that we would still be enjoyÂing their colÂlecÂtion in the 21st? PerÂhaps they did, givÂen the tenÂdenÂcy — someÂtimes fatal — of busiÂness and politÂiÂcal dynasÂties to imagÂine themÂselves as eterÂnal. But the Medicis could scarceÂly have imagÂined how peoÂple all around the world have just gained access to the sculpÂture they colÂlectÂed, now disÂplayed at FloÂrence’s Uffizi Gallery and elseÂwhere, through the Uffizi DigÂiÂtiÂzaÂtion Project.
A colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion between IndiÂana UniÂverÂsiÂty’s VirÂtuÂal World HerÂitage LabÂoÂraÂtoÂry, the PolitecÂniÂco di Milano, and the UniÂverÂsiÂty of FloÂrence, the five-year project, which began in 2016, has as its goal the comÂplete digÂiÂtiÂzaÂtion of Greek and Roman sculpÂture in the Uffizi Gallery, PitÂti Palace, and Boboli GarÂdens. Though not yet finÂished, it has already manÂaged to digÂiÂtize more works of clasÂsiÂcal sculpÂture than any othÂer effort by a sinÂgle museÂum, and at its site you can take a look at every comÂplete piece and fragÂment already digÂiÂtized — and not just a look, as you’d get while passÂing by on a walk through a museÂum, but a closÂer and more detailed look than you may ever have thought posÂsiÂble.
“The genÂuineÂly easy-to-navÂiÂgate webÂsite proves more interÂacÂtive than many comÂputÂerÂized museÂum archives,” writes HyperÂalÂlerÂgic’s JasÂmine Weber. “Users are givÂen the opporÂtuÂniÂty to travÂel inside tombs and inside every nook of the figÂures’ conÂstrucÂtion. The interÂface allows users to travÂel around and withÂin the sculpÂtures, getÂting closÂer than visÂiÂtors often can in the museÂum space itself thanks to three-dimenÂsionÂal renÂderÂing from every imagÂinÂable angle.” The colÂlecÂtion, notes the Uffizzi DigÂiÂtiÂzaÂtion ProÂjecÂt’s about page, conÂtains “works of excepÂtionÂal interÂest to stuÂdents of Greek and Roman art, notably the Medici Venus, the Medici Faun, the NioÂbids, and the AriÂadne.”
The Uffizi DigÂiÂtiÂzaÂtion Project has so far made more than 300 works availÂable to view as 3D modÂels, and you can find them by either searchÂing the colÂlecÂtion or scrolling down to browse by catÂeÂgoÂry, a list that includes everyÂthing from altars and busts to statÂuettes and vasÂes. And though no more techÂnoÂlogÂiÂcalÂly impresÂsive colÂlecÂtion of virÂtuÂal clasÂsiÂcal sculpÂture may exist on the interÂnet, after expeÂriÂencÂing it you might nevÂerÂtheÂless feel the need to see these pieces in an enviÂronÂment othÂer than the black digÂiÂtal void. If so, have a look at the virÂtuÂal tour of the Uffizi Gallery we feaÂtured earÂliÂer this year here on Open CulÂture. But be preÂpared: from there you may want to book a tickÂet to FloÂrence and see the sculpÂture colÂlectÂed by the House of Medici in the very city where it rose to such vast ecoÂnomÂic and culÂturÂal powÂer.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities and culÂture. His projects include the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
FanÂtasÂtic ! ComÂputÂer and techÂnique for ordiÂnary, curiÂous peoÂple and not only for acaÂdÂeÂmics.