Funerary Relief – Colourised

When we have seen hundreds of statues and other objects over the decades of our lives, it is easy to assume that statues and other objects are just statues, that they have no colour, but of course they did. What was just a relief becomes a 3d painting after colour is added. It brings sculptures and reliefs back to life.

My most difficult creative challenge, I present the #polychrome version of this ca. 50 AD Roman funerary relief, showing the deceased's pillow shop. *Many* thanks to @DrNWillburger for all her time and help on research and for the original image! #Uffizi #polychromy 1/ pic.twitter.com/ofMB4U4Xhi
— Chapps (@chapps) May 15, 2021

With 3d modelling it is easy to reproduce an exact replica of a painting or sculpture and then imagine how it would have been colouried. Tweets are frequently shared, that show statues and other objects as they would have looked when new. With mosaics we see them dry and dull, but with water they come back to life.

I considered playing with colours in photo editing software to bring colours from a mosaic back to vivid life.