Three VR apps explore Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael

Three virtual reality apps offer immersive experiences centered on Renaissance masters Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Raffaello Sanzio. 'You Are Leo' is a guided tour of Milan during Leonardo's time, originally presented as a world exclusive for the 500th anniversary of his death (1452-1519), attracting over 40,000 participants. The tour includes five stops: Piazza Duomo (with vanished landmarks like Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Tecla, Portico dei Figini, and the Rebecchino district), Palazzo Reale's courtyard (featuring the great clay horse), the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (with works like the Codex Atlanticus and Virgin of the Rocks), Corso Magenta, and Santa Maria delle Grazie (with the Last Supper). An art historian provides context. 'Michelangelo. Il Divino' was created and presented at SIGGRAPH 2019, meticulously reconstructing Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes based on historical documentation by Paul Letarouilly and photogrammetric surveys. The high-quality dataset could aid historians in documenting pre- and post-restoration states. 'Raphaello' is a virtual museum of Raphael's works, launched during the pandemic following the exhibition at Scuderie del Quirinale, aiming to overcome mobility restrictions. It features major portraits with critical apparatus, audio guides, and special content for children and people with disabilities, though its animations are criticized as grotesque.