THE DUOMO OF MILAN – SURVEY AND MODELLING OF THE VIRGIN MARY
The 3Dsurvey Group was responsible for the survey and the development of a high-resolution three-dimensional model of the statue of the Virgin Mary positioned atop the Great Spire of the Duomo of Milan.
In December of 2012, during maintenance work on the Great Spire, there was an opportunity to access the base of the statue of the Virgin Mary and perform a complete photogrammetry survey of the most famous statue in Milan. The survey presented difficulties due to the statue’s poor accessibility and the material with which it is made: highly reflective gilded and embossed copper plates.
The 1:5 scale model obtained is the first metric documentation of the statue. The model developed by the 3Dsurvey Group was then used for different purposes: a copy reproduced in 1:1 scale was initially placed in the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo’s pavilion to mark the 2015 Milan Expo, then at the new Regione Lombardia building, subsequently in the cathedral and lastly at the Museum of the Duomo of Milan. The digital model has also been used for video mapping opportunities on the façade of the cathedral. Smaller 1:5 scale copies have been placed on Milanese buildings that are taller than the Duomo.
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