3D scanning of the Vrubel fireplace in the Tretyakov Gallery

Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel’s work occupies a unique place in the history of Russian art. Formally, the artist belongs to the Art Nouveau era, but the special style in which Vrubel worked greatly distinguishes him from his contemporaries. Despite the fact that the artist used mostly dark or cold shades in his works, his works are emotional, expressive and lively.

The artist’s creative interest did not end with painting canvases. The passion for ceramics arose in the life of Mikhail Alexandrovich in 1890, thanks to which stunning sculptures, high-reliefs, panels and decorative dishes made of majolica appeared in the history of Russian art. The heroes of his plots are epic heroes and characters of Russian fairy tales. One of the most iconic works of this period is the fireplace "Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga" from the mansion of M. F. Krivoshein in Moscow. In 1900, at the World’s Fair in Paris, this fireplace was shown in the stylization of the Russian interior.

The fireplace has a rather interesting fate. In the 1960s, the mansion, where the famous fireplace was installed, was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Lebanese Embassy. On this occasion, the new owners carried out repairs, and the bright fireplace did not fit into the interior. It was decided to dismantle it and transfer it to the Tretyakov Gallery for preservation.

However, the design feature of the fireplace did not allow it to be safely dismantled: it was originally designed as a tiled stove, and the cladding, valuable fragments of majolica, were interconnected with metal wire and fixed to the wall on lime-cement mortar. Unfortunately, it was not possible to remove the fireplace embedded in the wall without damage. Vrubel’s fireplace was delivered to the Tretyakov Gallery in the form of fragments, some fragments were badly damaged, some were lost…

The fireplace was put on permanent display in 2007 after the fragments of majolica were put back together.
In order to preserve the cultural heritage and simplify subsequent restoration work, it was decided to digitize the fireplace. The Calibry 3D scanner was used for this task.

From the point of view of 3D scanning, this object is not simple, since:

• a significant part of the panels is flat, and most scanners can digitize an object thanks to geometric tracking ("clinging" to the irregularities, which should be sufficient);
• The Vrubel fireplace is an object of cultural heritage, and markers cannot be pasted on it (an alternative tracking option that is used when scanning objects with undefined geometry);
• lack of electricity sources in the immediate vicinity;
• Majolica ceramics are glazed and can glare at a certain angle. For many scanners, such surfaces cause difficulties when digitizing;
• The Calibry 3D scanner has three object tracking modes: geometry, markers, and texture. In the case of the Vrubel fireplace, there are more than enough diverse and vibrant textures. The device’s algorithms also allow you to scan shiny objects without problems, and high accuracy ensures that even the smallest details will be digitized.

The Calibry 3D scanner can also be fully portable, meaning it doesn’t have to be connected to an external power source, but rather powered by a battery.

See more photos of the works in our Calibry Telegram community and Vkontakte.