2019 is the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci and to commemorate his artistic career, the Louvre Museum will be hosting a retrospective of his work. As part of the exhibition, the museum has collaborated with HTC Vive Arts on a virtual reality (VR) experiences for visitors called Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass.
A first for the museum, the VR experience will bring to life the story of the Mona Lisa, da Vinci’s most famous masterpiece. Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass will allow visitors to get closer to the painting than ever before – virtually of course – being able to discover details hidden to the naked eye.
They’ll learn about new scientific research which has uncovered techniques that the artist used to create the masterpiece as well as further information on the identity of the sitter. One of the most iconic works of art, participants will be able to enjoy an intimate look at a painting which is central to the new exhibition.
“On the occasion of the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition and for the very first time, the Musée du Louvre is delighted to present a virtual reality experience, in partnership with HTC Vive Arts,” said Dominique de Font-Réaulx, Director of Mediation and Cultural programming at the Louvre in a statement. “The public will be able to discover an immersive experience of an extraordinary masterpiece. This collaboration will allow visitors to meet and learn more about the Mona Lisa herself, beyond the myths and legends that have accompanied her for more than 500 years.”
“We are honoured to be able to work closely with the Louvre to present their first VR experience on an HTC Vive headset as part of this monumental exhibition,” said Victoria Chang, Director of VIVE Arts at HTC. “Through this new experience, global audiences will be able to access the Mona Lisa in virtual space, seeing the work in detail from anywhere in the world. Allowing visitors who may not be able to visit the exhibition in person to access this remarkable masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci through our home version will give unprecedented access to da Vinci’s most celebrated painting.”
Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass helps to pay tribute to an artist who constantly embraced innovation throughout his career. The da Vinci exhibition will open to the public on 24th October 2019. If you can’t make it to the museum, Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass will also be made available on Viveport and other VR platforms in the near future. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.