This document discusses a joint research project between the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage and the Department of Computer Science and Humanities at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. The project aims to create an interactive digital timeline of Venice using images, literature, artworks, and other sources from the 13th to 20th centuries. Technological challenges include developing new image search and matching techniques to extract information from large image datasets, and reconstructing immersive virtual environments representing different historical periods in Venice using layered information. The goal is to provide varying perspectives on urban places and cultural artifacts in Venice to help reconstruct the "Period eye."

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Emanuele Pellegrini
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Ca’ Foscari, University of Venice
Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage
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2. Joint work with
• Department of Humanities
• Department of Computer Science
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3. SOURCES
• Images of Venice:
• Paintings, sculptures, drawings,
photographs, films, cartography
(XIII-XX Century)
• Literature:
• Diaries, letters, travel literature
!

4. Gentile Bellini, Procession in Piazza San Marco, 1496,
Tempera and oil on canvas, 367 x 745 cm,
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

5. Bernardo Bellotto, Rio dei Mendicanti with the Scuola di San Marco,
1738-40, Oil on canvas, 42 x 69 cm, Venezia, Gallerie dell'Accademia

6. J.M.W. Turner, Venice, the Bridge of Sighs, 686 cm x 914 cm,
London, Tate Gallery

7. William Congdon, Piazza San Marco, 1948 (?),
olio on cardboard, 36x48, private collection!

8. Quadriga of San Marco travelling to France (1797)

9. Daniele Manin proclaiming the Republic of Venice in 1848

10. Canaletto, Carnet, Venice,
Galleria dell’Accademia

11. J. Ruskin, Sketchbook, New York,
Pierpont Morgan Library

12. Ca’ Foscari (Toni Nicolini, 1978)
Palazzo Contarini dal Bovolo
(Domenico Bresolin, 1855)

13. Jean Cocteau, Venice 1956
(Ken Damy)
Walt Disney, Venice 1951
(Ken Damy)

14. Angiolo Tursi (Taranto 1885 – Venezia 1977)

15. Reconstruction of the “Period eye”!
• Contribution with meaningful images
to the Timeline
• Virtual reconstruction of specific
Venetian milieu!

16. Technological challenges
1. To devise new, content-based
methods to query large datasets of
images and extract information directly
based on image search and matching
techniques;

17. A. Van Dyck, Italian sketchbook, c. 6v da Tiziano
(Virgin Mary with Child and Saint Dorothea)

18. J. Reynolds, Italian sketchbook, (from Tiepolo?); Tiepolo, Meeting of
Cleopatra and Anthony, 1746-47, affresco, 650 x 300 cm,
Palazzo Labia, Venezia

19. 2. To reconstruct immersive reality
environments, in which different layered
information sources related to historical,
artistic and cultural are exploited to
provide varying points of view on
specific urban places, and cultural
artifacts (period eye)

21. Urban Daily Life!
• Colours of Venice
• Urban sounds
– Giovanni Morelli’s project for
Fondazione Cini
• Traditional jobs of Venice
• Social life!