Virtual Reconstruction of Eugène Delacroix's Decorative Works
The first phase of the "Digital Delacroix" project begins with the 3D digitization of the Chapel of the Holy Angels at Saint-Sulpice Church in Paris.
The Objective: To merge art history with digital modeling to shed light on lesser-known aspects of the work of the 19th-century French painter.
Led by the Centre André Chastel (Sorbonne University/CNRS), the "Digital Delacroix" project draws on the expertise of Plemo 3D, a mobile platform equipped with tools for digitization and 3D modeling.
The digitization of these works will enable their analysis, preservation, and public accessibility through virtual tours of the locations. This comprehensive and unprecedented photographic documentation can also support preparatory work for potential restorations. Alongside the Chapel of the Holy Angels at Saint-Sulpice, four other major decorative works created by Delacroix in Paris between 1832 and 1861 will soon be analyzed: the King's Salon and the National Assembly Library at the Palais-Bourbon, the Senate Library at the Luxembourg Palace, and the Sainte-Geneviève Chapel at Saint-Denys-du-Saint-Sacrement.
Delacroix in His Own Words
The project also aims to complete the electronic edition of Eugène Delacroix's correspondence: over 2,500 letters providing insights into both his life and the development of his works. These grand decorative works and the related writings will be gathered and linked on a single platform.
This work benefits from the technical resources developed within the Centre André Chastel (a joint research unit in art history under Sorbonne University/CNRS), the Labex OBVIL (Observatory of Literary Life), the Plemo 3D platform, and the LAMS (Laboratory of Molecular and Structural Archaeology, another joint research unit under Sorbonne University/CNRS).
