February 2, 2011

Google Introduces Art Project


Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy—with a view on Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”

Wow! This is absolutely astonishing, brilliant, and breathtaking! Believe me, I’m not exaggerating. By using the same process as the Street View vans that trekked through cities and suburbs for Google Maps, Art Project gives people a first-hand look at 17 of the world’s most acclaimed art museums—including, among others, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The National Gallery in London, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence—with a selection of super high-resolution images of famous works of art as well as more than a thousand other images, by more than 400 artists, at one’s fingertips.

It all began, says the head of the Art Project, Amit Sood, in Google’s official blog,

when a small group of us who were passionate about art got together to think about how we might use our technology to help museums make their art more accessible---not just to regular museum-goers or those fortunate to have great galleries at their doorstep, but to a whole new set of people who might otherwise never get to see the real thing up close.

As it was not enough, Amit Sood says that he hopes more museums will join the project and that the project will develop the technology further: “I want to find the technology to capture three-dimensional art such as Michelangelo’s David. It’s not going to be easy but these are the kinds of things we hope to explore.”

So what are you waiting for? Go there and enjoy!



~ First written for The Metaphysical Peregrine ~

5 comments:

  1. Great idea! Very good reproductions. I had a quick visit to London's National Gallery but one particular old master that I love doesn't seem to have been included. (Holbein's 'Anne of Cleves').
    The Rijksmuseum has three that I particularly admire, and the reproductions are very good indeed. 'Rembrandt's self portrait at an early age' , Vermeer's superb 'Milkmaid' and his 'View of Houses in Delft.
    And the Whistlers in the Freer Gallery! Wonderful. Thanks for letting us know Rob.

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  2. Perche solo in Inglese Rob? Seriously this is a great project I bookmarked it as soon as I heard about it, via another blog actually. blogs are certainly proving to be a great way of increasing my knowledge of the world :)

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  3. Good question, LindyLou.
    What to say? Well, you know, I have spoken Italian all my life... and I don’t regret that at all, but, then again, what is life without challenges--especially the ones you love?

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