3D rendering of an architectural relief

By Miloslava Hruba

Kalea Ramsey ’23, as part of her 2021 summer internship at the Mead Art Museum, embarked on exploring the ways the art collection could be enhanced online and become more accessible for research and scientific examination within the campus community and beyond. An Art History and Computer Science double major, Kalea researched processes for producing 3D models of a selected group of objects. Having learned a great deal about Digital Art History during Prof. Yael Rice’s class last fall, she understood the impact 3D modeling can have on students’ assignment inquiries and scholarly research. Informed by resources presented at this year’s AAMG conference and in consultations with Timothy Pinault from digital Services at Frost Library, Kalea used the technology of photogrammetry, the science of extracting information from a volume of overlapping photographs and synthesizing it into 3D digital visualizations, three of which examples are presented here.

Not replacing, but complementing a first hand observation of the works, digital models can better visualize certain details and information obscured or hidden to the human eye, present an object in its entirety, revealing backs, bottoms, and insides, an important function when an object is in a compromised condition and frequent handling might cause irreversible damage.  3D imaging could clarify or pose new questions about the object. It might offer an initial justification or elimination of certain upheld conclusions regarding authenticity, dating, concepts, or authorship of works which have not been fully re-evaluated.

Eventually, using 3D printing of these models would create unique reproductions of objects that could then be available for safe handling – revealing yet another facet of their materiality (weight, texture, and other sensory experience) for the widest audience.

The goal is to present the community with another method of studying, working with, and learning about art and cultural objects in the Mead’s collection, encourage interest and access of the historically unprivileged groups as well as scholarly inquiries aligning with the objectives of Amherst College’s diverse and rigorous humanities and sciences’s academic curricula.

View Kalea’s growing collection of 3D models at sketchfab.com/MeadArtMuseum and through the icons in the images below.