old paintings in new media     p.2

For a long time only printed reproductions would make it possible at all, to give a visual impression outside the room the painting is actually displayed at a certain time.
The limitations are obvious. Only what printing techniques in quality and numbers allowed could be reproduced.
Printing is now on a level that copies even bigger than the original are a normality based on photographs and scans. While we now have quickly printed another version, this reproduction on paper or fabric is always coming with the same necessities of framing or mounting. But with the world of modern screens and displays in many divices of all sizes this all changed dramatically and it would be technically very easy to show anything, any-time, anywhere without a printed reproduction.

However it is not that easy to find artworks displayed in a good quality. Pictures are shown in sizes and solutions in the range of useless to barely acceptable, rarely good enough to see any details of the beautiful craftsmanship, the delicacy of the fine drawing and colours.
It is heartbreaking to see even the best artworks often reduced to tumbnail sized symbols. They are treated like brands in the portfolio of their collections and museums, which should be dedicated to their greatest praise, but not to their great prize only. The reasons are very trivial.

We better should point out the opportunities missed.
Even if we are inside of the room the painting is displayed, often the situation does not allow a really good study of the details in the artwork.
The combination of modern digital photography, easy data storage and screen display offers, without any physical danger to the fragile artworks, exactly the right tools to show more of the painting, even more we might see during a direct observation.

So please….. lets use them!