I explored the University of Arkansas’ digital recreation of the House of Prince of Naples, one of the houses in Pompeii. This particular model is focused on the murals on the walls, and two versions (one during the day, and the other at night) illustrates the placement, location, etc of the murals in a way that a picture or other 2D reconstruction would struggle with. Their goal seems to be more academic, with this model being part of a larger effort to build a database of visual art references. With that intention, this model serves that purpose.
Given the more academic context in which this is presented, it seems unfair to judge it for it’s accessibility towards a more general audience. However, it still is engaging. I absolutely geeked out over this experience, having learned a bit about these murals and the styles in a Roman archaeology and art class I took last year. This would have been a handy tool for my professor to use when teaching. Furthermore, if desired, it could be remodeled to fit a general public audience. A choice to further explore the styles and subjects of the murals by a pop up or other mechanic, would inform the audience as to what they are walking through while still being able to explore the space.
