Google has mapped and photographed the world, created a car that drives itself and even explored space. Now the tech giant focuses its prodigious resources towards the world of art and brings the world's visual masterpieces to any art lover online.
Last year Google launched version 1 of the Google Art Project (www.googleartproject.com), a partnership with 17 of the world’s most acclaimed art museums that brings paintings and 1000+ artworks online, letting everyone see, explore, and essentially enjoy virtual travel to these celebrated collections. Galleries and images can also be explored directly in Street View in Google Maps And thanks to super high-resolution, ‘gigapixel’ photo technology, you can even zoom in close enough to see the brushstrokes of Rembrandt himself-- more than the naked eye.
Google has launched phase 2-- this will add an additional 100 museums around the world in 35 countries to the project, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the sole Canadian participant.
The AGO says that they are very excited about increasing the access of world galleries and museums to Canadians, and to showcase our own local collections at the AGO to a wider global audience.
The Art Project lets you:
- Take 360-degree tours of each museum -- explore the Tate Britain or roam the halls of the Palace of Versailles
- Learn about particular pieces and the artists behind them -- read about the story behind each piece and watch related YouTube videos
- Curate your own online collections -- build a personalized collection, provide your own commentary, and share your collection with friends and family.