Oh Google, how I love thee

Let me count the ways...


Earlier this month (on the first, if you care to know) Google rolled-out its latest project. In true Google form, it is collaborative. This project, aptly named GoogleArtProject is a means of bringing world-renowned art to the masses right in the home and classroom.

"What's so special about that?" you might ask. Let me tell you.

Think about what Google has that few others have: the fact that they are Google. It elicits almost universal participation from institutions that have consistently turned others away. Just look at the list of heavy-hitting participants:

Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
The Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Insitution, Washington, D.C., USA
The Frick Collection, New York, NY, USA
Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, Germany
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY, USA
Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain
Museum Kampa, Prague, Czech Republic
The National Gallery, London, UK
Palace of Versailles, France
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Tate Britain, London, UK
Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I don't know about you, but I am impressed by this list of heavy-hitters.

In addition to being Google, the GAP (heehee) also brings into play the most current digitalization techniques, making it possible to bring an exceptionally high quality image of the art--which is probably another reason that so many agreed to participate--the Art looks fabulous. In fact, it looks like it does in real life. In fact, you can look into the image with more detail than you could with the naked-eye at the gallery. So what if that's not the point of art--Google lets you do it!

This is achieved in two ways: gigapixels and Google. No, really! And Google. Google's Street view technology, to be precise. You can tour the galleries all by yourself digitally because they have been captured using Google's Street view. You can even frolic in the gardens at Versailles. Best part? The galleries and gardens were empty when the images were captured, so no one is in your way--ever!

Basically, this is ArtSTOR Platinum...but it is free and open for any user. Play with it yourself. This is a good example of the gigapixels--you can zoom-in on the Globe or the music score and read either perfectly. Apparently, this image contains over 7 billion pixels...so be patient with the zooming.

I think they should use street view for the Guggenheim next.

In other news, I slept for 14 hours last night. I am feeling much less plague-infested. I need to be better by tomorrow, so that I can go visit my cousin!