Google Art Camera captures gigapixel images of artworks
Google Cultural Institute has introduced the Art Camera, a robotic camera that captures gigapixel images of artworks, allowing viewers to see details like brushstrokes and canvas texture. The camera uses laser and sonar for autofocus and stitches hundreds of close-ups into a single high-resolution file. Museums including Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam have already used it to digitize works such as Van Gogh's Portrait of Armand Roulin, Monet's Spring in Vethuil, and Signac's The Port of Rotterdam. The institute, founded in 2011, has digitized over 6 million objects and offers an online platform for virtual exhibitions.
Key facts
- Google Cultural Institute launched the Art Camera in 2016.
- The camera captures gigapixel images with over one billion pixels.
- It uses robotic mechanisms, laser, and sonar for automatic focusing.
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen tested the camera on works by Van Gogh, Monet, and Signac.
- The institute has digitized over 6 million objects since 2011.
- The Art Camera enables detailed viewing of brushstrokes, signatures, and canvas texture.
- The camera stitches hundreds of close-ups into a single image.
- The project is part of Google's broader cultural heritage digitization efforts.
Entities
Artists
- Vincent van Gogh
- Claude Monet
- Paul Signac
- Valentina Tanni
Institutions
- Google Cultural Institute
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
- Artribune
- Politecnico di Milano
- NABA
Locations
- Mountain View
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands