I was really looking forward to seeing the Portus Relief in detail at the @artinstitutechi.bsky.social, but the problem was that I couldn’t really *see* it when I got there. Not placing a highly reflective case opposite a bank of bright windows should be taught in Curator 101. Disappointing. 🏺 - ThreadSky

chapps.bsky.social • 6 days ago

I was really looking forward to seeing the Portus Relief in detail at the @artinstitutechi.bsky.social, but the problem was that I couldn’t really *see* it when I got there. Not placing a highly reflective case opposite a bank of bright windows should be taught in Curator 101. Disappointing. 🏺

Comments

quatrus.bsky.social•6 days ago

Oh, that does look bad. We saw it better, when I was there, maybe a different time of day? more people in the gallery between us and the windows?

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

I visited early in the morning, and right before closing - no change. Maybe you had a lot of people around to block out the light, as you say. Such a disappointment for me, as I had wanted to get enough high res photos to possibly do a reconstruction.

quatrus.bsky.social•6 days ago

Photos were impossible for us, too, sadly.

ardentarchivist.bsky.social•6 days ago

Bloody hell.

Chicago, you are and always will be my kinda town, but… do better.

@artinstitutechi.bsky.social

jennwong.bsky.social•6 days ago

(That's a fake account, btw. https://Artic.edu has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Youtube - not on Bluesky)

ardentarchivist.bsky.social•6 days ago

Good to know, thanks.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Siggghhh … thanks.

smarthistory.bsky.social•6 days ago

Feeling your frustration, I just found my photos from the 2001 Torlonia exhibition in Rome, Will post, hopefully they are ok.

smarthistory.bsky.social•5 days ago

Oops, I meant 2021

chapps.bsky.social•5 days ago

How to detect a time-traveler …

anthonymajanlahti.bsky.social•6 days ago

It wasn't behind glass when it was shown in Rome, and for decades it was unprotected and gathering dust in the basement of the former Museo Torlonia on via della Lungara, in a room with grates but not glass in the windows, effectively open to the elements.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

The glass is, I think, to safely allow close inspection. I was able to see details when I blocked the glare with my body and eyeballed it closely. Wonderful to see the visible traces of red and (some) green pigments. Perhaps the dust protected those details.

pfranzen.bsky.social•6 days ago

So disappointing and so common, I’m afraid. First of all there is a specific type of glas available that has minimal reflection, called museum glas, and secondly there is this idea to use lighting to discourage people to take proper pictures, without providing high res pics themselves.

pfranzen.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thirdly, this idea that finds are somehow mysterious and must be displayed as such, usually meaning in the dark or semi dark. Might be useful for vulnerable paints, but not with reliefs as this or most small finds, building materials etc.

End of “I want to be able to study my objects” rant.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Interestingly, the two galleries used for this exhibition are fairly brightly lit (unusual - I hate the dramatic ‘pool of intense light’ style of display). They put this relief behind glass/plastic to allow for close inspection, but keeping it protected, I think. Anti-reflective glass, folks!

pfranzen.bsky.social•6 days ago

My experience yesterday: can you make out what is displayed?

This was the best shot I got ☹️

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yikes. A figure with a shield and sword? All detail wiped out, not just for photos, but for the personal experience. Terrible. What is this?

pfranzen.bsky.social•5 days ago

A Roman farmer, sharpening his scythe with a whetstone. Obviously.

On display at the Limburgs Museum in Venlo (Netherlands), found in Maastricht.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limburgs_Museum_Venlo,_Romeinse_archeologie,_reli%C3%ABf_van_man_met_zeis,_Maastricht_1.JPG isn’t either helpful

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, some Italian museums do everything to prevent high quality photos of their collections - and the Italian state says your photos of their antiquities are their property. Insane. But I think this is just carelessness. They should add a dark shade to that window, which would mitigate this issue.

therealjimsanto.bsky.social•6 days ago

did you capture that image as RAW? curious whether Photoshop reflections removal could deal with this egregious issue

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

I did several shots - all RAW. I’ll see how PS’s reflection removal does when I get home. But they’re so strong, that I’m fairly sure there’s no information on what’s under the brightest reflections. I did take some at an angle, minimizing the reflections, and can warp the photo. We’ll see …

therealjimsanto.bsky.social•6 days ago

of course you did! good luck!

druidic.org•6 days ago

Shocking - especially for us antiquity photo fetishists!
Maybe a few off-centre shots with a polariser, then stitched together, would do it?

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yep, done - all taken in RAW format. I’m going back one more time this morning to do closeups with the polarizer, then we’ll see what I can do with PS when I return home.

buffyantiqua.bsky.social•6 days ago

Here are some photos I took in 2021, obviously not the same, but there is no glass.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Exactly the way it should be displayed (although in less harsh lighting). Lucky guy!

xavibermudez.bsky.social•3 days ago

Next time you can try this outfit.

chapps.bsky.social•3 days ago

Hahahahaha! I was thinking along similar lines. Seriously, I think some sort of large hood on extendable armature might be called for.

xavibermudez.bsky.social•3 days ago

He learnt so much from Jurassic Park...

chapps.bsky.social•2 days ago

It’s a clear warning sign when the pope’s frill pops out like that - stand back!

xavibermudez.bsky.social•2 days ago

Vance at sight?

chapps.bsky.social•2 days ago

Ha! Yes, the Anti-Vance Pope Protector!

smarthistory.bsky.social•5 days ago

I found my photos from Rome and posted them in Flickr here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/profzucker/

chapps.bsky.social•5 days ago

Thanks! So sad that I couldn’t even enjoy it in person - It was just too difficult to attempt to shadow the glass and see details. I’m really angry at whoever made this decision - what a waste.

smarthistory.bsky.social•5 days ago

So frustrating. All the time, effort, and money the museum invested, and all visitors—and then just poor planning undermines the entire endeavor.

chapps.bsky.social•5 days ago

So true. I have to wonder who thought this was a successful hang? They could have swapped it out with something else on another wall when they saw this effect. Inexplicable.

palaeo3d.bsky.social•6 days ago

AMNH, NHMUK, many others all make that mistake all the time. They want light in their exhibition spaces, but forget what light does.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

They should all get trained by the Getty Villa curators. Brilliant use of lighting and low-reflective glass for their Thracian exhibit last year. It can be done, but many museums just don’t care, or don’t have the right funds.

lindsaypowell.bsky.social•6 days ago

How frustrating. That happens a lot is temporary exhibitions too.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yeah, it’s just inexplicable. It’s inarguably the most important item in this particular Torlonia exhibit, but lesser reliefs were placed in the better room with no windows. The Getty Villa did an amazing job in their recent Thracian exhibit - almost no reflections anywhere. Perfect lighting/cases.

ritterton.bsky.social•6 days ago

Oh that's not cool at all!

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

It really baffles me as to why they did this. I mean, if they *had* to use that wall, then I would have expected non-reflective glass, but instead it seems to be some kind of very reflective plastic/glass. Huge miss by the curators.

ominiba.bsky.social•6 days ago

blatant. who makes such a mistake?

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

I can’t even explain why they placed the most important object in the exhibition in the secondary room in a far corner. Just very odd.

sarahcalvert.bsky.social•3 days ago

Same in so many museums and galleries in Italy. When I was in the Uffizzi I could only see Botticelli's Primavera and La nascere di Venere by standing to the side. It was frankly ridiculous.

chapps.bsky.social•3 days ago

In this day and age, it's insane that this persists. Curators are putting more items behind glass, but not willing to adjust lighting and use the *correct* non-reflective glass to compensate.

jennwong.bsky.social•6 days ago

I had a similar problem at the Walters with paintings hung high on the walls reflecting glare from spotlights.

chapps.bsky.social•6 days ago

Just inexplicable.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply