Paintings are not only windows into their creator's vision; they also serve as a way to document the world. Today we can do that with extreme ease thanks to cameras and mobile devices, but one benefit of doing it “the old-fashioned way” is that the works are not so ephemeral and temporary. Quite the contrary: there are a great number of professionals out there preserving ancient paintings physically and digitally. One of the most ambitious projects is Watercolour World, a free database with 80,000 watercolors from before the 20th century. If you appreciate art and history, Watercolour World is an excellent resource for you.
A user can lose thousands of photographs in an instant due to a simple mechanical failure on their hard drive or a software error. Unfortunately, the discipline of backups is quite poor even among professionals, not to mention that redundancy costs money. Now, how did they do it before photography? The answer is simple: those interested in visually recording the world around them had to draw or paint. The passage of time took its toll on some works of art, but today we can see a marked interest in preservation, applying precise (and reversible) techniques, along with a widespread adoption of digitization. That brings us to the doorstep of the Watercolour World project.
Watercolour World: 80,000 Paintings at a Click's Distance
Watercolour World is a database that focuses especially on “documentary watercolors” prior to the 20th century. Landscapes, events, travels, expeditions, and even the occasional portrait are part of this impressive digitization effort. Those responsible for Watercolour World are located in the United Kingdom, but the project's profile is international, with the collaboration of public institutions and private collectors. At the same time, there is no preference for artists or styles. Amateur and professional paintings coexist in this enormous digital archive, available without any requirement. You just have to go to the “Watercolours” section of the official site and search or browse the samples at the bottom. Another option? Use its map, click on a region, and start exploring.
Protecting the past to improve the future is one of the great goals that Watercolour World has ahead of it. Instead of leaving all these paintings asleep or gathering dust and moisture, today they reach our screens easily, and without paying a cent, although there are other ways of collaboration (the plan is to expand the collection and add volunteers).
Official site: Click here
