Virtual Abriola. Progetto di fruizione a distanza delle opere di Giovanni e Girolamo Todisco da Abriola.

This project was promoted about three years ago by the Municipality of Abriola (Potenza, Italy) and the Basento Camastra Local Action Group as part of the "Cammini d'Europa" project (Asse II Cooperazione transnazionale). It was conducted in collaboration with Officina Rambaldi, an international team of professionals headed by Carlo Rambaldi, winner of the Oscar for special effects in the films "King Kong", "Alien" and "ET". The objective of this study is basically museographical, i.e. to promote knowledge and virtual exhibition of the works of two great artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, Giovanni and Girolamo Todisco da Abriola. The works painted in Pietrapertosa, Santa Maria di Orsoleo, Senise, Potenza and Rivello, all characterised by an excellent communicative value and a simple and legible figurative style in perfect harmony with the needs and nature of the Franciscan order, testify to the artists' prolific activity. The starting point of this knowledge itinerary is the Sanctuary of Monteforte, in Abriola, virtually reconstructed in 3D using image-based technologies with particular reference to photo-modelling which were integrated into a navigation engine for Real Time 3D content. The overall management of the data on a web-based platform enables the distance viewing of works and places, including the Sanctuary and its geographical context. It also gives access to a pool of heterogeneous information (interactive spherical panoramas, texts, videos, Flash and Shockwave animation, etc.). The use of models that are accurate from both the geometric and the textural point of view enables highly realistic three-dimensional navigation, which is made even more convincing and engaging by the adoption of stereoscopic viewing systems. The project was officially presented to the public only in February 2011, demonstrating the continuing validity and communicative effectiveness of this by-now consolidated technology in terms of both communication and distance viewing of contexts of historical and archaeological interest.