Genesis in Plaster: Designing and Making the Long Gallery at Lanhydrock
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth University
Department Name: School of Society and Culture
Abstract
This research project brings together digital technology and art historical analysis for the study and dissemination of the plaster ceiling in the Long Gallery at Lanhydrock House (National Trust). It offers a new model for the interpretation of this key monument which has the potential to transform the public role of several similar sites in the Southwest.
Plasterwork represents a significant part of the West Country's artistic heritage in the 17th century. Elaborate ceilings and mantelpieces were key in communicating complex views on religion, society, family, gender, and the environment. Made from readily available materials, they represent a genuinely local practice of image-making in post-Reformation Britain. The Genesis cycle in the Long Gallery at Lanhydrock House with its 36 large narrative scenes on a 116 feet long and 20 feet wide barrel vault has always been recognized as the centerpiece of this tradition. Despite its potential global significance, the ceiling is little-known beyond specialist circles and our knowledge of its commission, design, and making remains limited. This is a time-sensitive project: the National Trust is embarking on the restoration of the ceiling in 2024 and it has partnered up with the University of Plymouth to conduct full 3D digital and laser scans of the barrel vault (before, during, and after the restoration).
Adapting methodologies from the field of art history and digital heritage, the Genesis in Plaster interdisciplinary project will transform the understanding and public perception of the ceiling. In terms of the design, the project focuses on the new identification of a set of visual sources that inspired the rich depictions of the Book of Genesis. These art historical findings are brought together with digital heritage surveys. The project will use cutting-edge 3D laser scanning to reveal the plasterwork in unprecedented detail. This will offer new insights into the material creation of the scenes and the design of their iconography, establishing the ceiling's international import. The reinterpretation of Genesis cycle at Lanhydrock House will galvanize the study of 17th century plasterwork in the Southwest since it will offer a new and solid starting point for the analysis of their materiality and iconography.
The process of digital scanning to investigate the ceiling will also be the foundation for a series of impact activities at Lanydrock, directly informing the new visitor route and experience from March 2025. The 3D model will be integrated into c. 20 min long film about the Long Gallery in flat screen and dome formats. The flat screen version will be displayed on the National Trust website and at Lanhydrock. The dome version will be shown at immersive venues in the UK and overseas (first screening at Market Hall, Plymouth). Both settings will include 1:1 scale tangible 3D prints. All digital outputs and 3D scans (photogrammetry, lidar scans and render versions) are to be deposited open access at University of Plymouth.
Plasterwork represents a significant part of the West Country's artistic heritage in the 17th century. Elaborate ceilings and mantelpieces were key in communicating complex views on religion, society, family, gender, and the environment. Made from readily available materials, they represent a genuinely local practice of image-making in post-Reformation Britain. The Genesis cycle in the Long Gallery at Lanhydrock House with its 36 large narrative scenes on a 116 feet long and 20 feet wide barrel vault has always been recognized as the centerpiece of this tradition. Despite its potential global significance, the ceiling is little-known beyond specialist circles and our knowledge of its commission, design, and making remains limited. This is a time-sensitive project: the National Trust is embarking on the restoration of the ceiling in 2024 and it has partnered up with the University of Plymouth to conduct full 3D digital and laser scans of the barrel vault (before, during, and after the restoration).
Adapting methodologies from the field of art history and digital heritage, the Genesis in Plaster interdisciplinary project will transform the understanding and public perception of the ceiling. In terms of the design, the project focuses on the new identification of a set of visual sources that inspired the rich depictions of the Book of Genesis. These art historical findings are brought together with digital heritage surveys. The project will use cutting-edge 3D laser scanning to reveal the plasterwork in unprecedented detail. This will offer new insights into the material creation of the scenes and the design of their iconography, establishing the ceiling's international import. The reinterpretation of Genesis cycle at Lanhydrock House will galvanize the study of 17th century plasterwork in the Southwest since it will offer a new and solid starting point for the analysis of their materiality and iconography.
The process of digital scanning to investigate the ceiling will also be the foundation for a series of impact activities at Lanydrock, directly informing the new visitor route and experience from March 2025. The 3D model will be integrated into c. 20 min long film about the Long Gallery in flat screen and dome formats. The flat screen version will be displayed on the National Trust website and at Lanhydrock. The dome version will be shown at immersive venues in the UK and overseas (first screening at Market Hall, Plymouth). Both settings will include 1:1 scale tangible 3D prints. All digital outputs and 3D scans (photogrammetry, lidar scans and render versions) are to be deposited open access at University of Plymouth.
