Google Arts & Culture's Art Camera at Sala del Grechetto, Biblioteca Sormani, Milan by Biblioteca Sormani
From canvas to gigapixels
As part of Milan is for Art Lovers, Google Arts & Culture has digitized the collections of more than 300 artworks, tapestries, and frescoes, capturing them using Art Camera. First launched in 2016, this is the first time the Art Camera has travelled to Milan, and the first time these artworks have been able to be captured in such precise detail and crisp resolution. The three institutions who have offered up their collections are: Museo del Novecento, Biblioteca Sormani, and Castello Sforzesco.
But why is it important to do this? Part of the beauty of Google Art & Culture’s Art Camera is the ability to look at masterpieces in ultra-high resolution through “gigapixel” images that allow you to explore and study paintings inch by inch. The Art Camera acts like a digital magnifying glass and goes beyond what you could see even if you visited these artworks in person.
Art Camera at Sala del Grechetoo, Biblioteca Sormani, Milan
The Art Camera is a robotic camera, custom-built to create gigapixel images faster and more easily. A robotic system steers the camera automatically from detail to detail, taking hundreds of high resolution close-ups of the painting. To make sure the focus is right on each brush stroke, it’s equipped with a laser and a sonar that –much like a bat – uses high frequency sound to measure the distance of the artwork. Once each detail is captured, our software takes the thousands of close-up shots and, like a jigsaw, stitches the pieces together into one single image.
Find out more about the artworks captured for Milan is for Art Lovers below and check out some behind the scenes images of the Art Camera in action:
Museo del Novecento
Museo del Novecento houses 20th century art and over 100 works from its collection have now been captured on Art Camera. Here you can see the team carefully getting the paintings ready, getting the colors balanced, and making sure the light is just right for the Art Camera to pick up on every detail. Some highlights in this digital collection include Tullio Garbari’s Composizione bucolica religiosa (1931), one of the last works painted before his death, and Umberto Boccioni’s La signora Virginia from 1905.
Art Camera in position at Museo del Novecento, Milan by Museo del Novecento
Art Camera in position at Museo del Novecento, Milan
Art Camera at Museo del Novecento, Milan by Museo del Novecento
Art Camera in postion at Museo del Novecento, Milan
La signora Virginia being captured by Art Camera at Museo del Novecento, Milan by Museo del Novecento
Painting being prepped at Museo del Novecento, Milan
Zoom into the paintings below to see what the Art Camera captured:
Composizione bucolica religiosa (1931) by Tullio GarbariMuseo del Novecento
Composizione bucolica religiosa by Tullio Garbari (From the collection of Museo del Novecento)
La signora Virginia (1905) by Umberto BoccioniMuseo del Novecento
La signora Virginia by Umberto Boccioni (From the collection of Museo del Novecento)
Biblioteca Sormani
Biblioteca Sormani is the central library of Milan and has a vast collection of books with more than 650,000 volumes covering a broad variety of subjects across the humanities, law, and the sciences. What sets Biblioteca Sormani apart is its fresco-painted rooms, the most famous of which is Grechetto, named after the painter who was originally thought to be the one behind the paintings that adorn it. The space isn’t always open to the public, but fortunately for us Art Camera has now captured the dramatic frescoes of this space so we can look at these paintings in minute detail and get a sense of the skill behind them.
Sala del Grechetto at Biblioteca Sormani being prepared by Biblioteca Sormani
Sala del Grecheto at Biblioteca Sormani, Milan
Art Camera ready to go at Sala del Grechetto, Biblioteca Sormani by Biblioteca Sormani
Art Camera at Sala del Grechetto, Biblioteca Sormani, Milan
Art Camera in action at Sala del Grechetto, Biblioteca Sormani by Biblioteca Sormani
Art Camera at Sala del Grechetto, Biblioteca Sormani
Discover all the animals by zooming into the frescoes below:
Sala del “Grechetto” (ca.1650/1670) by Maestro di Palazzo Lonati VerriBiblioteca Sormani
Sala del Grechetto (From the collection of Biblioteca Sormani)
Sala del “Grechetto” (ca.1650/1670) by Maestro di Palazzo Lonati VerriBiblioteca Sormani
Sala del Grechetto (From the collection of Biblioteca Sormani)
Castello Sforzesco
Built in the 15th century and later enlarged in the 16th and 17th centuries, Castello Sfozesco was once one of the largest citadels in Europe. Over 70 artworks belonging to the castle’s collection have been captured by Art Camera, most notably 12 large tapestries that have never been photographed in this way before. In the images below you can see the precision needed to make sure Art Camera is able to capture each tapestry uninterrupted. It’s only when looking at the tapestries in this way that you’re able to get an idea of the scale of these pieces.
Tapestry being prepped for Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco, Milan by Castello Sforzesco
Tapestry in position of Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco, Milan
Color Balance of Tapestry for Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco, Milan by Castello Sforzesco
Getting color balance ready for Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco
Tapestry being prepped and captured for Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco, Milan by Castello Sforzesco
Marzo tapestry to be captured by Art Camera at Castello Sforzesco
Explore the tapestry in detail by zooming into the woven artworks:
March (1504 approx. - 1509) by Vigevano manufacture. Tapestry maker Benedetto da Milano, from cartoons by Bartolomeo Suardi known as Bramantino.Sforzesco Castle
Marzo, Manifattura di Vigevano. Arazziere Benedetto da Milano, da cartoni di Bartolomeo Suardi detto il Bramantino (from the collection of Sforzesco Castle)
